Knowing You More
by KaL05
Summary: [COMPLETE] Seiftis fic! Quisty is assigned to know Seifer more, which means she has to hang out with him all the time! What happens between the two? Pls. R&R! Note: Ignore last chapter.
1. Ch 1

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own FFVIII at all! Hope I do, though. . . . Oh, well!  
  
Chapter One: Relief From Boredom . . . Not!!  
  
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"Headmaster?" Quistis Trepe went in the office of the headmaster of Balamb Garden, Cid. Early that morning in the cafeteria while she was eating breakfast, an announcement broke out from the speakers calling out all the instructors and some staff who has to do with teaching Balamb Garden students. She had been surprised to hear Headmaster Cid's voice boom through the whole Garden. Of course, why would she not? For the past few days, there had been nothing going on in the Garden that even she, who always had her schedule full due to teaching, was becoming bored and bored each day. Plus, she had been listening to complaints from Selphie, Rinoa, Irvine and Zell. She even heard a mumble of boredom from Squall!  
  
She stopped in her tracks as she found herself at the back of a large crowd gathered around in the headmaster's office. She strolled to the farthest corner, stood there and waited for Headmaster Cid to make his appearance.  
  
Suddenly, a voice boomed from the front of the crowd. "Hello? Is everyone here? No. . . . Has any of you seen Instructor Trepe? I don't think I see her here. . . ."  
  
Quistis blushed as Headmaster Cid's voice called out her name. She slowly made her way to the front and presented herself. "I'm present, sir."  
  
"Oh!" the headmaster said, peering at her through his glasses. "Didn't see you. . . . Now, shall we begin, please?"  
  
The crowd of staff members and instructors fell silent, waiting for Headmaster Cid to proceed.  
  
Headmaster Cid smiled warmly and waved to them all. "Can you all see me? Can you all hear me? Well . . . that's good, then. Now, as I've been walking around the Garden, I've been noticing students getting lesser and lesser in number in the halls. Most of them had their noses hidden behind text books and if not, just eating."  
  
A burst of whispers aroused from the crowd. Obviously, all of them were wondering where the headmaster was going. Quistis glanced around for a while, then went back to listening to the headmaster.  
  
Headmaster Cid held up a hand to silence all of them. When they did, he smiled again. "Not only the students, I observed, but also the teachers," he said.  
  
A smile began to play across Quistis lips. She knew where the headmaster was heading to. She was sure he would put up an event to cheer up the Garden for a while. Yes, she was sure of it. Just thinking about it made her excited inside. It had been long since the Garden Festival her friend, Selphie Tilmitt, had prepared for them all. It had been fun, but after that, it was back to books.  
  
"I was thinking . . ." the headmaster went on, pacing up and down the floor, "that what if . . . we forget about books, tests, pop quizzes and other school activities and . . . well, we could do something else for a change. . . ."  
  
"Sir, I don't think I'm following you," an instructor called out.  
  
The headmaster stopped in the middle and looked at all of them. "Why don't we get to know more about our students?" he said quietly.  
  
Quistis blinked in surprise. She had been expecting a dance next week and a festival in the other, but this? She didn't need to know her students. She knew almost everything about them. And she knew the other instructors knew their students well, too. So why was the headmaster suggesting this idea?  
  
Everyone was silent. They didn't seem sure to agree or not. If they agreed, they would just waste their time getting to know students more when they could cover up a whole test. If not, they'd die in boredom.  
  
The headmaster nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, isn't it a good idea?" he said. "Hmm . . . SeeDs could participate as instructors, too . . . since there aren't enough instructors. . . . Right! A student will be paired up with one instructor or SeeD! It's settled! I will assign each of you a student. Changing your students aren't allowed, I will keep a list to make sure you're all cooperating with your student. Now, if all of you could just please fall in line?" He dropped behind his desk and took out a stack of paper and a pen.  
  
Quistis heaved a sigh of relief. Now that the headmaster said that they would be assigned with only one student, she thinks she might enjoy doing the activity.  
  
She inserted herself in line behind five people who were at the very beginning.  
  
She wondered which student would be assigned to her. Her heart thumped loudly as she thought of Squall and her walking around the Garden, holding hands and looking at each other's eyes. . . .  
  
"Instructor Trepe?" a voice broke her thoughts and she blinked in surprise. She looked down and saw Headmaster Cid, holding out a rolled piece of paper to her.  
  
"Yes, Sir?" she said, standing up straighter.  
  
"The name of the student you're assigned with is written inside that piece of paper," Headmaster Cid said, dropping the roll on Quistis' outstretched hand. "Take care of him, now, okay?"  
  
Quistis nodded and hurried out of the office. She went in the elevator and waited until it arrived in the second floor. Once it did, she almost ran to her classroom and slammed the door shut behind her back. Leaning on the door and her heart pounding, she slowly unrolled the piece of paper.  
  
'Please let it be Squall,' she prayed silently. 'Please let it be Squall!'  
  
She opened the paper up and felt her heart crush. "No. . . ." she whispered dejectedly. "Oh, shit. . . . Why Seifer . . .?"  
  
She crumpled the paper and threw it in the trashcan. Fuming, she tapped her foot against the floor and crossed her arms across her chest.  
  
"Oh, I'm really going to enjoy it . . . not!"  
  
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Author's note: Well, there it is! The first chapter of my first FFVIII fanfic! Hope you enjoyed it, folks! Please don't forget your reviews!! 


	2. Ch 2

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Two: I Dare You  
  
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"Hi, guys. . . ." Quistis greeted her friends gloomily in the cafeteria later that day during lunchtime. She plopped down on an empty chair between Selphie Tilmitt and Zell Dincht. Instead of starting to eat, she poked on her food carelessly, obviously not in a good mood. But her friends didn't seem to mind. They were chattering excitedly with each other.  
  
"So, did you hear about the new activity we're about to do?" Selphie asked everyone as she bounced up and down on her seat.  
  
"What activity?" Rinoa Heartilly asked her.  
  
"You know, the one that instructors and SeeDs should get to know more about the students of Balamb," Selphie said excitedly. "I can't wait to start! I was assigned on knowing more about a cute student!"  
  
"Don't get too happy 'bout it, Selph," Irvine Kinneas said, wrapping his arm around Selphie's shoulders. "I'm still here to keep an eye on you."  
  
"Who were you assigned to, Squall?" Rinoa asked Squall Leonhart, who was silently sipping coffee from his cup.  
  
Squall sighed. "Don't know much about this guy," he answered.  
  
"Well, I hope you'll all be happy with your partners," Zell said, pumping the table with his fist. "I got a . . . a . . . girl who, I think, likes me."  
  
Irvine snickered loudly. "A girl?" he said mockingly. "What girl would like you, shorty?"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Quistis sighed as Irvine laughed out hysterically. She shook her head and looked at her friends.  
  
"At least you didn't get the most idiotic student in Balamb," she told them.  
  
Everyone looked at her with surprised expressions. She dropped her fork on her plate and crossed her arms across her chest.  
  
"Who did you get, Quisty?" Selphie asked, leaning forward. "Is it a meanie?"  
  
"Oh, definitely, Selphie," Quistis said hotly. She slammed her fists on the table harder than Zell. "I got a jerk! A bastard! An idiot! A stupid son of a bitch!"  
  
"Whoa!" Irvine said, looking at her with round eyes. "Censored, please!"  
  
Quistis sighed in devastation. "I was hoping I could get Sq -- uh . . . Selphie or Zell. . . ." She kicked herself mentally. 'That was close!' she thought.  
  
"Uh . . . hello? Quisty, didn't you listen to the instructions?" Selphie said, looking at her in disbelief. "SeeDs are supposed to act like instructors and get to know the students more. Just like you. And to remind you, Zell, Squall and I are already SeeDs."  
  
Again, Quistis kicked herself mentally. 'How could I forget?' she thought angrily to herself. 'I can't believe I even imagined my perfect moment with Squall. . . . Oh, I'm such an idiot!'  
  
"Oh, yeah!" she said, laughing goofily. "Sorry, I forgot! Hehe!"  
  
"Now, come on and tell us who you got!" Irvine said, leaning forward eagerly. "If he's enough to make you wild, then you're definitely in a fix!"  
  
"Gee, thanks for the support," Quistis said glumly.  
  
"Come on, Quisty!" Selphie urged. "Tell us! Who? WHO?"  
  
Quistis gritted her teeth. "Fine! He's . . . Seifer Almasy."  
  
"Wha --?" Everyone's jaw, except Squall's, dropped down to the table. They stared at Quistis in bewilderment.  
  
She nodded miserably. "Can you believe it?" she asked them.  
  
Everyone didn't respond. They just looked at her sympathetically.  
  
"He's got to be the worst thing that happened in your life, Quistis," Zell said silently.  
  
"Yes, I've reminded myself that everyday, Zell," Quistis replied.  
  
"But . . . isn't that a good thing?" Zell said, starting to recover from shock. "I mean, now that you're with him, you can do anything you want. I mean, there're no rules in this activity, right?"  
  
Quistis looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about, Zell?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, come on, Quistis!" Zell said, suddenly becoming excited. "We were never told about the rules, were we? So there's none at all! And when you do something that's terribly wrong and definitely rule-breaking, you won't get in trouble!"  
  
"Are you saying that Quistis should break rules?" Rinoa asked Zell.  
  
"Well, not really," Zell said thoughtfully. "Just a little prank on Seifer is what I'm thinking about." He turned to Quistis and smiled. "So what do you say, Quistis? Are you game or not?"  
  
Quistis sniggered. "Sorry, but I don't break rules!" she reminded him.  
  
"No, you're getting it all wrong!" Zell said. "There're no rules, right? So you can do whatever you want! And I say, a prank on that asshole!"  
  
"Hmm . . ." Irvine scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I think playing a prank on Seifer would be cool. Plus, witnessing Quistis do some havoc would be great. Nice thinking, Zell!"  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
"So are you up to it, Quistis?" Rinoa asked, smiling.  
  
Quistis looked at all their faces and bit her lip. Playing a joke on Seifer wouldn't be so bad. It could serve as revenge for all the things he'd done to her. Yeah, why should she not do it? But why should she do it? Right, she shouldn't. There's no way she's going to break any rules.  
  
"Look, guys . . ." she began.  
  
Squall cleared his throat, catching all of their attention. He simply leaned forward on his seat and said, "I dare you, Quistis."  
  
"Good going," Irvine cheered.  
  
Quistis stared at all of them. She tapped the table with her hand.  
  
"Quistis! Quistis! Quistis!" they chanted altogether. "Quistis!"  
  
"Alright, alright!" Quistis almost yelled. "I'll do it!"  
  
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"Another wrong answer," Quistis mumbled as she marked an x on the test paper. She was in her room and was grading the latest test papers of her students. She had been thinking endlessly about her agreement with her gang and thought that grading her student's test papers would take her mind off it.  
  
She added the paper on the pile of graded ones and sighed. She looked down at the next test paper and saw that it was the last, and it was owned by Seifer. She looked at it in disbelief.  
  
"Why'd you have to remind me of HIM?" she growled at the paper. Sighing heavily, she started to grade it. When she was done, she added it on the pile.  
  
'Hmm . . . that's odd,' she thought. 'He got an unusually high grade. Wonder what happened to him. . . . Oh, he probably cheated, the stupid jerk.'  
  
She stared out the window thoughtfully. Exactly what she was going to do to Seifer, she had no idea. She was never the kind to pull jokes on people, even if those people were horrible and rude and . . . like Seifer. If only Zell never came up with the idea, if only Squall never dared her. . . .  
  
'Squall . . .' she mused dreamily. She smiled and rested her head on her hand.  
  
"I dare you. . . ." Squall's voice rang out in her head.  
  
She blinked in surprise and sat up straighter. "He dares me," she said.  
  
Suddenly, she felt angry. How could Squall dare her? He should be the one preventing rule-breakers around the Garden. At least, she expected that from him. She groaned loudly. Now what was she going to do about that dare?  
  
'Hmm . . . maybe I should put sleeping pills on Seifer's food tomorrow, and when he comes to class, he'll fall asleep, then I'll mark him absent for the day!' she thought. 'Or maybe I could steal some of his things . . . his blade maybe. Oh, what am I going to do? My jokes are so low!'  
  
Suddenly, a shuffling sound aroused from outside her door. Her head snapped toward it. She got her whip prepared as she stood up, and hurried silently toward her door. Opening it, she whiffed out her whip and went outside, ready to hit the intruder on the face.  
  
But no one was there.  
  
She looked around and still found no one. Stepping forward, she heard a crumpling sound from the floor. She looked down and found that she had stepped on a piece of paper. She picked it up and stuck out her tongue in utter disgust. She really didn't like the person who wrote it.  
  
"I heard you were assigned to know me better. I hope you'll do your job well and maturely. And be warned by your actions, dear instructor, 'cause you might never know what hit you."  
  
It was from Seifer.  
  
Crumpling the piece of paper and tossing it aside, she went back in her room and slammed the door shut.  
  
"Asshole."  
  
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Author's Note: Well, there you are! The second chapter of my story! Once again, please don't forget your reviews!  
  
To Kitian: Thanks so much! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
  
To NixuVixu: Thanks to you and Seify! Hehe, hope you both liked this chapter just as you liked the first! 


	3. Ch 3

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own FFVIII, not at all!  
  
(You've all been wondering where Seifer is, haven't you? Well, the good lord has brought him to you! Enjoy reading!)  
  
Chapter Three: Seifer's Laughter  
  
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Seifer Almasy hurried back to the headmaster's office after leaving the darn note outside Quistis' door; he was supposed to give it to her in personal, but he didn't want to be caught outside the door of one of the most gorgeous instructors of Balamb Garden. He knocked loudly on the headmaster's door and went in.  
  
"Sir?" he called out, panting loudly.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Almasy," said the headmaster, behind his desk. "Did you give Instructor Trepe your note? All students should give their instructors a letter or a card, but as you prefer it, a note."  
  
Seifer rolled his eyes mentally. He nodded and said, "Yes, I did, Sir. But I can't resist telling you that the note I gave to the instructor you assigned me to will not like what it said at all." He smiled to himself in satisfaction.  
  
Headmaster Cid raised one of his eyebrows. "I see. . . ." he said. "Don't get defensive, Mr. Almasy, but . . . I never asked you about the message in your note."  
  
'How humiliating is that?' Seifer thought, as he smiled goofily at the headmaster. 'I shouldn't have said anything about the note.'  
  
"Uh . . . you're right, Sir, you didn't ask anythin' 'bout it," he said.  
  
"That's good," the headmaster said, standing up and walking to the front of the chair. "Now, I know that both you and Instructor Trepe hate to be with each other. But that's why I paired the two of you up."  
  
'She hates to be with me?' Seifer thought. 'Does that mean she hates me? Gee, I wonder why. . . . But don't I hate her! She's got to be the sexiest instructor alive! I'd be the luckiest man if ever I scored a night with her! Talk about dreams. . . .'  
  
The headmaster still kept blabbering on, while Seifer dreams about being with Quistis.  
  
"I haven't said any of the rules to the instructors and SeeDs. They don't need to know about that. And you should know, Mr. Almasy, that rules are very important. I need you to follow them."  
  
Seifer started to stand lazily and gaze off into space.  
  
"If there's any rule-breaking, there should be a penalty."  
  
This shook Seifer out of his reverie. He turned his head to the headmaster with a glum look on his face. "Rules?" he said. "Oh."  
  
"You don't sound so happy, Mr. Almasy," the headmaster observed. "Perhaps, you might be interested in my plan if you listen attentively and stop daydreaming?"  
  
Seifer stood up straighter and cleared his throat. "You have my attention, Sir," he said positively.  
  
"Good." The headmaster smiled. "What I'm thinking is, well, why don't the students take charge for a while?"  
  
Seifer raised an eyebrow. He looked at Headmaster Cid in confusion.  
  
"By the look on your face, I know you didn't get what I just said," the headmaster said. "Well, you will take charge. You make up some rules that should be followed, tell your instructor that, and if ever she broke a rule, give her a penalty. Now, I don't want you to be so harsh on your instructor, Mr. Almasy. You should only give her a penalty if, and only if, she breaks a rule. Is it clear, Mr. Almasy?" He eyed Seifer beadily through his glasses.  
  
"Yes, Sir," came Seifer's immediate reply.  
  
"Very good," said the headmaster. "You can go now, Mr. Almasy. Please have a good night."  
  
"Yes, Sir," Seifer repeated. He then walked out to the elevator. He pushed the first floor button and leaned on the wall. Inside him, he was rolling around, laughing. He couldn't believe his luck. What is greater than bossing his instructor around, for the sake of not having to break rules he created himself? He sure was going to have fun!  
  
'Wait, I'm being my bad side again!' he thought urgently. He shook his head roughly and took a deep breath. 'I shouldn't do it. I should follow the rules and be fair to my instructor . . . to my dear instructor. . . .'  
  
The elevator door opened and he came out. Slowly, he walked down the stairs and around the hall toward the dormitories, his footsteps echoing loudly. Once he got in his room, he immediately tossed his white overcoat aside, placed his blade carefully on his table, took off his black shirt and plopped down on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling.  
  
'Doing one more rule-breaking wouldn't be so bad,' he thought to himself. 'And I'm pretty sure Quistis and the headmaster are both used to my attitude. Right, just one more wouldn't hurt at all. Now for those rules. . . .'  
  
He stood up and replaced his blade on the table with a paper and pen. He started scribbling his rules that Quistis was supposed to follow. Every rule he made up had something to do about him. All the rules had something to do about him.  
  
He stretched out his arms and smiled evilly. "Ooh, this is going to be great!" Then he started to laugh out hysterically. Suddenly, there was a bang from his wall and a loud voice followed.  
  
"Hey! Shut up!"  
  
Seifer instantly stopped laughing. "Is it my fault that I'm happy?" he shouted back.  
  
"Whatever, just shut up!"  
  
Seifer fell back to his bed and sighed happily. "Oh, it'll definitely be great!"  
  
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Note: Whoo-hoo! Chapter 3 done!! Yes!! Hope you guys liked it! Don't forget your reviews!  
  
To Roentgen Ray: Happy you liked it! Enjoyed this chapter too?  
  
To Gauntlet Challenge: Don't worry, it'll be more interesting! Expect on it! Thanks, by the way!  
  
To Kelani2539: Thanks so much! You'll find out the pranks Quistis is going to do and Seifer's reaction soon! Just sit back and relax! Hehe! 


	4. Ch 4

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Four: Prank No. 1  
  
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Quistis stared at the empty seats of her classroom the next day. She was sitting behind her desk, waiting for her students to come. And she had been waiting for almost fifteen minutes.  
  
'Where was everyone?' she thought angrily. 'Can't they see that classes have started ages ago?'  
  
The room was so quiet. The only sound heard was her breathing. It seemed, to her, that she could almost hear her thoughts echoing throughout the room. She sighed and rested her head on her hand.  
  
"Stupid students," she grumbled under her breath. "Classes are important, can't they see that?"  
  
"No, you're the one who's stupid," a drawling voice spoke up.  
  
Quistis turned to the voice and wasn't surprised at who it belonged to.  
  
"Seifer," she said almost lazily. "Where are the others? I'm surprised to see you're the first one in class."  
  
Seifer snickered, which made her scowl deeply. "Oh, dear Instructor," he said through his laughs. "You are growing old, aren't you, having trouble with your memory and all?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Seifer?" Quistis asked, standing up and crossing her arms across her chest.  
  
Seifer stopped laughing, walked toward her desk and leaned on it. "Don't complain if no one's here to listen to your usual blabber," he said. "They're all enjoying the Garden."  
  
"I still don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"I've been looking all over for you since I got out of my dormitory room," Seifer went on, ignoring Quistis' impatient expression. "Now I know where you like to hang out: Your classroom. Heheheh!"  
  
"Get to the point!"  
  
"We have to know more about each other! Weren't you reminded by someone?"  
  
Quistis blinked, stared at the Seifer for a moment, then slapped her forehead. "I completely forgot!" she said and smiled sheepishly. "Guess I did you some trouble, huh, looking for me all over the place?"  
  
"Yeah. Now come on! My friends are waiting for me on the first floor!"  
  
"I thought we should know more about each other?" Quistis called after him as he walked briskly toward the door. She followed him outside and toward the elevator. "Seifer, wait up!"  
  
"Hurry!" Seifer replied.  
  
"We should share secrets, do what we like to do together and hang out!" Quistis said, counting with her fingers. "And," she pulled Seifer's arm to stop him, "we have to be TOGETHER!"  
  
Seifer took back his arm and stared at her. She put her hands on her hips and stared back. Both just stared at each other for a moment. Finally, Seifer sighed heavily. He pulled her hand and led her to the elevator.  
  
"We're going to meet my friends," Seifer said firmly. He held up a hand to silence Quistis, who opened her mouth to protest, and then pushed the button to the first floor. They waited in silence for the elevator to stop and when it finally did they got out and saw Fuujin and Raijin standing right outside the elevator doors.  
  
"Hey, Seifer! What's up?" Raijin greeted. He caught sight of Quistis and fell silent.  
  
Seifer sighed. "Where are your instructors?" he asked his comrades. "Aren't you supposed to be with them?"  
  
"NEGATIVE!" Fuujin replied shortly.  
  
"Hey, this is a school activity," Quistis told them sternly. "You should be cooperating, not hang around here doing nothing."  
  
"Right," Raijin said in agreement. "Uh, so we'll be going now."  
  
He and Fuujin turned on their heels and started to walk away, when Seifer stopped them.  
  
"There's no need for them to go and meet their instructors," Seifer said with a bit of a whine. "We can all go to the training center and fight some monsters there!" Quistis frowned.  
  
"Come on, the three of you," Seifer said, tapping his foot impatiently against the floor.  
  
". . . Sure . . ." Raijin said slowly. He and Fuujin looked at each other, then at Quistis, and at Seifer.  
  
Quistis, sensing the unwelcome atmosphere around her, and only around her, forced a smile into her lips.  
  
"Don't worry, guys! I won't tell the headmaster that you don't meet up with your instructors," she said cheerfully. "I'm going to be okay hanging out with you, anyway! At least, Seifer's there if something happens, right?"  
  
Raijin and Fuujin once again looked at each other. Both were at a loss in words.  
  
Quistis clapped her hands together. "The training center, we shall go!" she said. She locked her arm with Seifer and led him to the forest-style training center.  
  
Once they arrived, she let go of Seifer and casually followed them around. She didn't fight any creatures there. She just let Seifer, Raijin and Fuujin do all the work. They even must have forgotten she was there! And it was the perfect way to let Quistis' mind work. The moment she agreed to hang out with Seifer and his friends, an idea was hidden somewhere in her head. And she was already just inches away from it, when they finally went in the Secret Area.  
  
"That was some exercise, huh?" Seifer said, stretching out his arms. "We'll have to fight some on the way out."  
  
"Yeah," Raijin agreed. "Hey, did you see Fuujin earlier? Heheh, if it wasn't for me, she would have been killed by that T-Rexaur, 'ya know?"  
  
"JERK!" Fuujin said simply. Raijin scowled at her.  
  
Seifer laughed. "That's a first, Fuujin!" he said. "Is it a new word in your vocabulary? Heheheh!"  
  
Fuujin rolled her eyes.  
  
Quistis smiled as she finally got her hands on the idea. Her insides bubbled with excitement. She got it all planned out, and all she needed was someone to notice her. She cleared her throat loudly, which made Seifer, Raijin and Fuujin look at her. She smiled at them widely.  
  
"Uh . . . so, Seifer, how much do you know now about Instructor Trepe?" Raijin asked, turning to Seifer with an expectant expression on his face.  
  
Seifer raised his eyebrows when Quistis nodded at him. He shrugged casually and said, "Well, I know a bit about her now. I know where her favorite place is, that she's forgetful and that she wants to be with me."  
  
Quistis stopped herself from making a gagging noise. She continued to smile sweetly at Seifer.  
  
"What about you Instructor Trepe?" Raijin asked.  
  
"Oh, you don't have to call me that, Raijin," Quistis said politely. "Quistis is my name, so I advise you to call me by that name."  
  
"Oh. . . . Okay."  
  
"I've known Seifer for almost half my life, so there's nothing really to know now," Quistis went on. "Actually, there was one time when we were still kids. We lived in an orphanage back then. Oh, if only you guys were there!"  
  
Seifer looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about, Quis - uh, I mean, Instructor?" he said.  
  
"You know, the time when you said those five words in front of me?" Quistis said. She turned to Raijin and Fuujin. "Oh, you guys would have laughed your heads off if you were there! He was so funny!"  
  
Seifer was now staring at Quistis with his mouth hanging open and a blank expression on his face. Raijin and Fuujin were looking at Quistis in interest and were obviously listening to every word that came out of her mouth.  
  
"What did he say?" Raijin asked eagerly.  
  
"Hmm, it's bit embarrassing, but since your Seifer's best friends . . . I'm going to tell you!" Quistis said. "He was crying at that time. Sad image of him sitting by the farthest corner and watching us all play. . . . I noticed immediately that he was all alone and crying his heart out, so I went to him and asked why he was crying. He looked up at me with those teary eyes and couldn't say anything. You see, when we were still kids, I know he had a huge crush on me, and that's probably the reason why he can't tell me what was bothering him. So I promised him not to tell anyone and he agreed. Do you know what he said, then? He said . . ." She took a deep breath, "'I pooped in my pants!'"  
  
Raijin and Fuujin blinked in surprise. They stared at Quistis, then at Seifer, and back at her. Suddenly, laughter began to erupt from them.  
  
Seifer's eyes were wide with bewilderment. He looked at Quistis in disbelief and glared at Raijin and Fuujin.  
  
Quistis, herself, was laughing with Raijin and Fuujin. She can't blame them. Friends who just found out that their other comrade pooped in his pants when he was still young . . . who wouldn't laugh at that? But, of course, this was a lie.  
  
She looked at Seifer's angry face and felt a pang of guilt. She stopped laughing and cleared her throat, which made Raijin and Fuujin stop as well.  
  
Seifer's face was as red as a tomato. Steam was almost seen coming out of his ears and nose. He was taking deep breaths, probably to stop himself from bursting in anger.  
  
"Raijin, Fuujin, could you two please go ahead and leave Instructor Trepe and I here for a moment? We'll catch up with you later," he said gruffly.  
  
Quistis bit her lip. She had done it. She had made Seifer angrier with her than ever. She could almost feel the energy from his body, touching her and burning her flesh. She took a couple of steps away from him.  
  
Raijin and Fuujin did as they were told. Before they completely disappeared, however, they glanced back at them one more time. When the door to the Secret Area closed, Seifer turned to Quistis with a demanding look on his face.  
  
"Could you tell me what that was all about?" he said in a shaky voice.  
  
Perhaps a couple of steps weren't enough, because Quistis took another step away from him. She smiled at him sheepishly. She knew she had no way out of this. But trying to think of something wouldn't hurt at all.  
  
"Well?" Seifer said when she still didn't say anything.  
  
Suddenly and unexpectedly, an idea popped in Quistis' head. She took off the guilty expression she was wearing and replaced it with an innocent one.  
  
"Well, didn't you say that to me?" she said.  
  
"Why are you asking me when I don't even remember saying it to you?" Seifer asked back.  
  
"So it wasn't you, huh?" Quistis said, pretending to think. "Hmm. . . . Maybe it was my brother. . . ."  
  
"You have a brother?"  
  
"No, but I have a cousin."  
  
Seifer sighed impatiently. "Brother or cousin, I don't care! I never said anything to you like that!" he insisted.  
  
"Hmm, you know what? I think it was my cousin," Quistis said, still looking thoughtful. "I guess I kind of humiliated you, huh?"  
  
Seifer rolled his eyes. "Yeah," he said sarcastically. "You guess."  
  
Quistis hid a smile. Her plan worked and she was off the hook. What could be greater?  
  
"So where do we go now?" she asked him.  
  
Seifer shrugged. "I'm kind of not in the mood to do anything else right now, so I'll just hang out here in the training center for a while. Kill a few T-Rexaurs or whatever there is to kill."  
  
"Okay," Quistis said, pasting her sweet smile on her face once again. "I'm coming with you."  
  
"Hey, if you don't want to, it's okay."  
  
"No, I'm coming with you."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Great!"  
  
"Oh, and Instructor?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"That's one."  
  
Quistis was surprised at this. She looked at Seifer with her eyebrows raised. Seifer just shrugged and smirked at her. She rolled her eyes and followed him around once more, but her mind kept drifting to what he just said earlier.  
  
''That's one', he said,' Quistis thought as she watched Seifer bend down on one knee and look down on the pond below the bridge they were standing on. 'I wonder what he meant by that. . . .'  
  
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Author's Note: YAHOO!!! Another chapter done!!! Hope you guys liked it!!! Oh, and thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them! 


	5. Ch 5

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Five: Prank No. 2  
  
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Seifer sat down on the bridge in Indian style. He looked down at the pond of the training center and watched as a school of small fishes passed hurriedly away from him. He sighed heavily and rested his head on his hand.  
  
He wasn't at all enjoying this. He thought he would. But because of what Quistis did to humiliate him in front of his two best pals, he was proved wrong. He couldn't help giving his instructor a quick glare.  
  
'I should have told her about the rules,' he thought to himself. 'That way, she wouldn't do anything crazy to me like what she did earlier. I was so close to hitting her when she was acting all innocent and stupid, arrgh! Good thing I caught myself just in time.'  
  
The instructor to his left shifted toward him and he felt a small tug on his overcoat. He turned to her with a scowl on his face.  
  
"What now?" he asked impatiently.  
  
Quistis seemed to be amused at this. She smiled at Seifer sweetly and said, "Are we just going to stay here the whole day?"  
  
Seifer sighed. "I told you, you should have gone ahead," he pointed out. "Now look at what you're doing. If you need to do something important, just go. If not, it's not my fault you're feeling hungry or dirty or whatever."  
  
"I was just asking," Quistis shot back harshly.  
  
"Yeah, well, whatever."  
  
He saw, at the corner of his eye, Quistis scowling at him. This made him smile inside with satisfaction. It was her fault, anyway. She was the one who insisted on going with him. Look who's complaining now?  
  
They remained silent for a few minutes, breathing in the fresh air that surrounded the Garden, watching fishes swim by, listening to the soft trickling of the water and shooting each other glances from time to time.  
  
Being alone with each other wasn't their kind of quality time. They preferred what they wanted to do alone. But since they were stuck with each other in this activity, they had no other choice but to do as they were assigned to do.  
  
Seifer cleared his throat loudly. "So, uh . . . what age were you again when you became an instructor?" he asked unexpectedly.  
  
Quistis looked at him in surprise. "Hmm, already want to know your instructor more, do you?" she said.  
  
"Just answer the question."  
  
"I was eighteen and I am eighteen."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I forgot. Squall and I were your first students, then."  
  
"Mm-hmm, but Squall became a SeeD and you remained my student."  
  
"Whatever. So . . . when's your birthday?"  
  
"That reminds me! My birthday's only a week away from now. I'm turning nineteen. Thanks for reminding me. . . . Hey! Why are you asking me for my birthday?"  
  
"This October, huh? So that means I have to give you a gift. . . ." Seifer ignored the astonished look on Quistis' face. "I'll have to think about that. So what are your hobbies?"  
  
Quistis slightly shook her head. She looked at Seifer suspiciously. "Why are you asking?" she said.  
  
"Because I have to know more about you," Seifer replied sarcastically. "How many times do I have to remind you in just one day? Ten?"  
  
"Fine, then," Quistis said stiffly. "I like to grade test papers."  
  
"Typical."  
  
Quistis' jaw dropped. "That's not all! I also like to -"  
  
"Read books, tutor dumb students and educate Seifer all over again," Seifer interrupted her, smirking. "Gee, Instructor, I didn't know I was one of your favorite hobbies?"  
  
"Seifer, those aren't hobbies, those are what you call obligations," Quistis said in her usual, stern teaching voice. "Especially you, you're an obligation I have to do. If you're not going to pass that exam again, Seifer, I swear I'm going to kill you!"  
  
"Then how am I supposed to pass another exam if you're going to banish me from the world?" Seifer taunted.  
  
Quistis made a face.  
  
"What were you hobbies again?" Seifer said, surprised of the words comenig out gently from his mouth. He tried to avoid Quistis' gaze on him, but ended up looking at her face.  
  
She smiled at him amusingly, a small glint twinkling in her eyes. He eyed her suspiciously, just as she had done to him, and was completely dumb- founded when she suddenly moved closer to him, the side of their bodies touching. She still had the shiny glint in her eyes when she hugged his arm to her chest and leaned her head on his shoulder.  
  
"What are you doing?" Seifer asked in what seemed to be a nervous voice. He glanced down at the instructor who was trying to cuddle with him.  
  
"I'm just cold," replied the muffled voice of Quistis. She was burying her face on Seifer's arm and was shivering a bit. "I need human warmth."  
  
"Well, you're a human," Seifer pointed out, fidgeting his arm a bit, just a tiny bit.  
  
"I prefer a man's warmth," Quistis said, emphasizing the word 'man's'.  
  
Seifer became still with his eyes wide open. He couldn't imagine himself alone with this beautiful instructor, who was cuddling into him and who was so close into making him strip off his clothes and well, do it with her. Oh, and he was alone with her.  
  
'Dammit, I already know that,' he reminded himself silently. 'Why's she doing this?' He glanced down once again at Quistis and found himself staring down at his arm. 'If only she didn't have her top on and my overcoat worn, my bare skin would have touched her Victoria's Secret bra.'  
  
"Seifer?"  
  
"Huh?" Seifer's head snapped up to Qusitis' face.  
  
'Is she puckering up her lips?' Seifer thought, unconsciously moving closer to Quistis face. He saw Quistis' eyes fluttering close and suddenly, as quick as lightning, he felt a push and a yelp came out of his mouth. Before he knew it, he was cold wet in the pond.  
  
'God damn, what happened?' he thought angrily as he rose up to the surface of the water. He looked up at the bridge and found Quistis laughing hysterically down at him.  
  
"What the f***?" Seifer shouted angrily. "You pushed me into this friggin' pond?"  
  
Quistis doubled up in laughter. She pointed at Seifer from time to time while laughing at his red-beet and wet face.  
  
Seifer reached out to the bridge and heaved himself up. He glared at Quistis while squeezing the end of his overcoat.  
  
"You . . . should . . . have . . . seen . . . your . . . face!" Quistis laughed out, slapping her knee and covering face.  
  
"Why'd you do that?" Seifer asked in disbelief.  
  
Finally, Quistis took a deep breath and stopped laughing. She looked at Seifer and shrugged. "Just thought it'd be fun," she reasoned.  
  
"Oh, yeah, it was very fun!" Seifer said, rolling his eyes. "Can we just go now?"  
  
Quistis giggled one last time, then followed Seifer out the training center. From time to time, he would sigh angrily or mutter out curses. He still couldn't believe Quistis would push him in the pond just for fun. He glanced back at Quistis and found her usual expression back on her face, and he couldn't help thinking how beautiful she looked. He put on a tiny smile on his face, stopped in his tracks and turned to Quistis.  
  
Quistis stopped and looked at him questioningly.  
  
"That's two, instructor."  
  
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Author's note: I had fun writing this and I hope you guys also had fun reading it. Thanks for all your reviews! You guys inspired me a lot! Keep 'em coming, by the way! Stay tuned for Chapter Six!! 


	6. Ch 6

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Note: This one's just a short chapter, but I hope you liked reading it. Chapter Seven is coming up!  
  
Chapter Six: Improvement Please!  
  
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"Ah, Instructor Trepe!" Irvine stood up from his chair and welcomed Quistis by letting her sit on his. He transferred on the seat closer to Selphie and eagerly leaned forward. "So, did you do it?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, I did."  
  
Everyone looked at her with wide eyes.  
  
"What did you do?" Selphie asked excitedly. "Come on, tell us all the juicy details!"  
  
"Relax, Selphie," Quistis said, smiling. "It wasn't all that juicy, but I think I got him."  
  
"Okay, tell us every word," Rinoa said.  
  
"Ooh, I hope it's enjoyable!" Zell said, dropping the hotdog he was about to stuff in his mouth on his plate and looked intently on Quistis.  
  
"Spill it out, Quistis," Irvine said.  
  
Quistis looked around at their faces and sighed. "Fine," she finally agreed. "I humiliated him in front of his disciplinary committee friends."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I told them a fake story about him when he was still small."  
  
"And what story is this?"  
  
"That he had a crush on me and that he pooped in his pants."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh, and the best part, I pushed him in the pond in the training center!"  
  
"You what?"  
  
"Not before I seduced him!"  
  
"You seduced him?"  
  
"Well, kind of."  
  
"Wait a minute!" Irvine held up his hands. "You said he pooped in his pants when he was a kid?"  
  
Quistis blinked at his disbelieving tone. "Why, what's wrong with that?" she asked him.  
  
"That is totally lame!" Irvine blurted out.  
  
Quistis' jaw dropped open. "Lame?" she repeated. "He was completely humiliated!"  
  
"Yeah, but any kid could have pooped in his pants!" Irvine pointed out. "That's the nature of children, they do stupid things such as pooping in their underwear!"  
  
Quistis gaped at him. Now that he mentioned it, her joke on Seifer turned out to be so low. She bit her lip and laughed goofily.  
  
"But you said you seduced him before you pushed him in the pond, right?" Irvine asked her.  
  
She nodded immediately.  
  
"Well, that wasn't so bad," he said. "What did you exactly do?"  
  
"I came close to him, hugged him and pretended to kiss him," Quistis replied. "And when our lips almost touched, I pushed him to the pond."  
  
"That was great, Quistis!" Selphie cheered and applauded for Quistis.  
  
Quistis smiled. "Thank you," she said.  
  
"At least the second one's better," Zell said, picking up his hotdog again.  
  
"Try better next time, Quisty," Irvine said.  
  
"I will," Quistis said. "Exactly how many pranks do I have to do?"  
  
"When you feel it's still not enough, continue as long as you want," Rinoa said. "And I think it'll last forever."  
  
"You should take advantage of this activity, Quisty," Selphie advised. "Then you can get back at that meanie and you both will be even! Oh, if only I was the one who got him, he'll wish he was never born!"  
  
"Don't talk like that, Selph," Irvine said, pulling Selphie close to him.  
  
"Why don't you two get a room?" Zell suggested to them.  
  
Quistis rolled her eyes and stood up. "I have to go now, guys! I still have to do something important."  
  
"All right," Rinoa said. "See you later, Quisty!"  
  
Quistis waved at them and proceeded out of the cafeteria toward the elevator. Just as she was about to get in, a shout rang out and made her turn around. She groaned dramatically at who shouted.  
  
Seifer was walking briskly toward her with his two buddies following him. He stopped in front of Quistis.  
  
"I just thought we should hang out tonight," he said to her, without even greeting her.  
  
"Where?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.  
  
Seifer shrugged. "I don't know, a bar or something. You're going to come with us, are you?"  
  
"Hmm . . . okay," Quistis agreed. "Just meet me later by my classroom."  
  
Seifer sighed and nodded. "Alright," he said. "Oh, and don't forget to change your outfit."  
  
Quistis smiled. "I will."  
  
"Uh, okay," Seifer said, backing away. "We'll see you later." Then he strolled away with Raijin and Fujin at his tail.  
  
Quistis shook her head in disapproval and turned to the elevator. Maybe she could do something to annoy Seifer tonight. She could hang out with them for a while, then find a cute guy to make Seifer jealous.  
  
'Jealous?' she thought, pushing the elevator button for the second floor. 'Why would Seifer be jealous?'  
  
'Well, you did get him to almost kiss you,' a voice answered in her head. 'Remember, you seduced him yesterday?'  
  
'Does that mean he likes me?' she asked.  
  
'Could be,' the voice told her. 'You are a beautiful woman, and Seifer have known you for a year, already. Why wouldn't he have feelings for you?'  
  
Quistis bit her lip as the elevator doors slid open. She went out into the hall and walked toward her classroom.  
  
Probably the voice in her head was right. Seifer liked her. Sure, she could make him jealous. And tonight was perfect.  
  
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Note: Well, do you like it? Hope you do! Don't forget your reviews! 


	7. Ch 7

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Seven: Prank No. 3? Not Really  
  
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Seifer tapped his foot impatiently outside the classroom of Quistis Trepe that night. He crossed his arms across his chest and glared at the wall in front of him. Obviously, because of the glum look on his face, Quistis was late. He was wasting time just waiting for her. He still needs to meet his friends in Deling City and Quistis was using up all his time for nothing.  
  
He groaned heavily and leaned on the wall.  
  
'Where is she?' he fumed silently. 'Of all the times to be late, she better will give a damn good reason.'  
  
Suddenly, a throat being cleared resounded through the walls. Seifer turned around and saw, to his complete astonishment, Quistis in a completely new look. He gaped at her from head to toe, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.  
  
'Oh, my god,' he thought incredulously. 'Who's this magnificent creature standing in front of me?'  
  
Quistis wore a white and sleeveless turtle neck, black jeans that fitted her legs perfectly, high black clogs and had a completely new 'do. She had all her hair down into even, straight sides, and she was holding a small black bag. She had on little make-up, probably very light blush, cherry lip gloss and light, pink eye shadow. She was standing in a position which made Seifer think of the word "shy".  
  
"Did you wait long?" Quistis asked him, suddenly breaking his thoughts of her apart. "You look impatient."  
  
"I, uh, you look . . . great," Seifer said in a quiet tone, which was so quiet it was barely audible than a whisper.  
  
But Quistis heard it perfectly and clear. She blushed deeply, which made her make-up more visible, and looked down on the floor.  
  
"Oh, what am I thinking," Seifer said suddenly. "No, you don't look great. You look fabulous."  
  
Quistis looked up at him astonishingly. "What did you say?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"I didn't like what I just said, so I think I shouldn't repeat it," Seifer said, making a face. "Now, come on. Fujin and Raijin are waiting for us."  
  
He briskly walked down the hall.  
  
Quistis looked after him and smiled again. She then scuttled after him.  
  
"Seifer, wait!" she called after him. "Tell me where we're going first."  
  
"Deling City," Seifer replied curtly.  
  
"But that's so far away."  
  
"I rented a car."  
  
"What are we going to do there?"  
  
"Party, get drunk and get wasted."  
  
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Quistis didn't like the idea of partying, drinking and what was that again? Get wasted? Sure, she loved to party. She actually enjoyed the Garden Festival, which took place a month ago. And she did love going to SeeD balls.  
  
But because of how Seifer said it, she knew this "partying" was definitely going to be different from what she expected. And the word was supported by "drunk" and "wasted". Quistis is an instructor, which means she's not dumb. She could tell that this night was going to be hell. She can't even think of any possibility that she can get some guy to make Seifer jealous.  
  
She sighed heavily as Seifer offered her to get in the car first. She pretended to willingly obey and got in. Seifer followed her afterwards. Then the car engine started up and off they went.  
  
The two were sitting across each other. They didn't do anything except kept silent and avoided each other's glances.  
  
Quistis was uncomfortable of the still silence. She wanted a conversation. One that would take her mind off the prank she was about to do. She still believed the prank wouldn't work. She shifted in her seat from time to time, making as much noise with the creaky seat as possible.  
  
'Come on, talk to me,' she thought, glancing at Seifer, who was trying to look interested in the floor. She cleared her throat and crossed her legs, making Seifer's eyes look up at her. She was about to smile at him, but Seifer quickly looked away. 'Am I that scary?' she said silently in her head. 'Hello? I'm wearing make-up, not a frightening mask! Dammit!'  
  
She sighed heavily and slumped in her seat.  
  
"What's up with you?" Seifer suddenly asked.  
  
She immediately looked at him. "Me?" she said. "Nothing's up."  
  
"Then why do you look so frustrated?" Seifer said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Do I look frustrated?" Quistis asked back, making sure she had a clueless expression on her face.  
  
"Not anymore," Seifer replied. He went back to staring down at the floor.  
  
Quistis shook her head in disbelief. She slumped again in her seat and crossed her arms across her chest.  
  
She and Seifer never said a word after that. They just sat in their seats, looking at something but at each other and waited for the car to stop. After what seemed like an eternity, the car finally came to a halt.  
  
Seifer opened the door and got out first. He stepped aside to let Quistis out. Quistis looked around the place and found that they had stopped in front of a disco bar. She heaved a sigh, which says "I knew it" and closed the door of the car.  
  
Seifer nudged her with his elbow, tilted his head toward the entrance and walked toward it.  
  
Quistis sighed again. With a quick "Here goes nothing!" and a deep intake of breath, she followed Seifer into the crowded disco bar which was blaring with loud music.  
  
****************************************************  
  
Seifer stared blankly at the dancers who were shaking their booties up and down the dance floor. He was sitting on the table at the very back of the bar with Quistis and without Fujin and Raijin. That's why he's so silent right now. He didn't know where his friends where, and he was stuck in a bar with his instructor sitting down beside him without anything to do.  
  
'Is this a set-up or something?' he asked himself. 'Why would they make me go here when they won't even come? I mean, what's the use?'  
  
He sighed heavily and raked his hair with his hands. If he should say anything to the world, he would say, "This is no use." Where were they? How could they do this to him? What did they think? That he had a relationship with Quistis or something? Even though he'd love that, he knew Fujin and Raijin would never believe he was making out with Quistis.  
  
He was about to stand up and suggest to Quistis that they should be going back to Balamb when suddenly, a good-looking guy came up to their table. He was sleek with dark blonde hair and was smiling widely at them.  
  
"Hey!" he greeted them. "Uh, I was just wondering if the ladywould like to have a drink with me by the bar?"  
  
Seifer raised his eyebrows. He looked down at Quistis, who seemed to be interested in the guy. She was looking at him in excitement and unconsciously fixing her hair with her hand.  
  
'Hmm, hanging out for a while wouldn't be so bad,' Seifer thought. 'Maybe little Miss Beautiful here ought to enjoy herself once in a while.'  
  
He looked up at the guy again and nodded. "Sure, you can have her," he agreed. "Just for the night, though."  
  
"Will the lady agree?" the guy asked Quistis, shooting her a gorgeous smile.  
  
Quistis, before nodding, leaned close to Seifer and whispered, "You're not my owner. I'll agree with this guy, because I wanted to. Not because you gave him permission. And don't you dare leave me here. If I find out you're not here, I'll definitely kill you." She then stood up and danced away with the guy.  
  
Seifer snorted and beckoned a waiter to come over. He ordered another bottle of beer. From a short distance, he could see Quistis dancing with the guy in the middle of the dance floor. He couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy and regret.  
  
'If only I asked her to dance,' he thought. 'Nah, I don't even know how to bust some moves like that. I'll only embarrass myself. Oh, well! I hope the lady's enjoying it.'  
  
And he took a sip from his bottle of beer, without taking his eyes off the dancing pair.  
  
***************************************************  
  
"So you always go here?" Quistis asked Enrique loudly over the blaring music. She was talking to him while drinking some Gin Tonic at the bar.  
  
Enrique was the guy who asked her to have a drink with her earlier that night. His whole name was Enrique Damante, and Quistis thought it sounded cute. He did look like a Spanish guy, if only he didn't have the blonde hair.  
  
Enrique nodded while sipping from his bottle of beer. "Yeah," he shouted in reply. "I'm almost well known around here. Every time I come here, I could hear people say 'Hey, there's Enrique! Wonder what he's up to tonight?'"  
  
"Oh! All these people here are your friends?"  
  
"Yeah, kind of."  
  
"So you must know the guy I'm with, huh?"  
  
"Oh, I know little about him. I spotted him only once here, hanging out with two other friends. I saw his friends here loads of times. Don't know why he just went here once."  
  
Quistis blinked in surprise. Seifer went in this bar only once? That's odd. She assumed Seifer would be the one who was well known around here.  
  
"You want more to drink?" Enrique asked her.  
  
Quistis looked down at her empty glass. She smiled and nodded.  
  
Enrique called the bartender and ordered for another glass of Gin Tonic for Quistis.  
  
Quistis pulled the arm of the bartender and said, "Keep 'em coming!"  
  
***************************************************  
  
"Where is she, where is she, where is she?" Seifer muttered under his breath. It was already one-thirty in the morning and he was waiting for Quistis to come back. Oh, and he was still in the disco bar. As the night began to die, Seifer noticed that it got more and more crowded. Shouldn't it be the other way around?  
  
He scanned the heads of the crowd and found no Quistis. He sighed heavily and checked his watch for almost the hundredth time.  
  
'Warning me not to leave and show up late. . . .' he thought angrily. 'I can't believe she can be so uncooperative.'  
  
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw the guy who came up to his table earlier with Quistis hanging by his shoulder.  
  
"Hey, man! She's passed out," the guy said, handing Quistis' body to Seifer.  
  
Seifer took hold of Quistis, his eyes wide and his jaw set. "What did you do to her, man?" he shouted at the guy.  
  
"I did nothing to her! She drank too much, and I tried to stop her!"  
  
"Don't lie to me, asshole!"  
  
"No, you're the asshole! How can you be so sick to hand out your girlfriend to other guys?" With that, the guy turned and walked away.  
  
Seifer pulled out a seat and carefully laid Quistis on it in a sitting position. He touched her face and began slapping it gently.  
  
"Quistis? Wake up, it's me, Seifer."  
  
Quistis groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She looked at Seifer for a moment, then faintly said, "Gee, Seifer, you look so handsome."  
  
Seifer blinked and became still for a moment. He began to smile at her, but was interrupted when Quistis started to vomit all over him. His jaw dropped and he looked at Quistis in disbelief, whose head was now lolling to one side.  
  
He bit his lip and sighed heavily. "And that's three. They just keep on coming."  
  
***********************************************************  
  
Author's note: Hey! This is kind of boring at first, right? But as you've noticed, the ending was interesting. You liked the part where Quistis puked on Seifer? Hehe, the idea just hit me when I was riding the bus toward my home. Two kids about my age, a boy and a girl, were carrying this coffee container. I got kind of suspicious about that container, 'cause it smells incredibly of beer. Before I got off, the boy started puking in the bus. Can you believe it? Well, just sharing! Writers can be inspired by something so disgusting.  
  
To "frost": Honestly, you're the first person to ever tell me that I made one of the characters look stupid. Most of the reviewers told me good stuff about it, and never complained about Quistis' attitude in the fic. At first, I was a bit offended. I couldn't get my mind off of what you said. It started to bother me and I thought of "Hey, what is wrong with Quistis?" and I started to get these crazy ideas of maybe stopping to write the story and start all over again with a more appropriate Quistis. But the more I thought of it, the more I knew I was getting crazy like the ideas. You see, I'm a very serious person who takes things seriously, especially when a person mentions them. I told myself, "I'm a fanfic writer. I will continue to write this fic with Quistis as a serious teenager with a bubbly side (just as you had said) and who wants to get revenge on Seifer so badly that she has to lower down her profile, way down, even if it's the last thing she does." I mean, that's all part of the fanfic, right? That is why it's called a fanfic, right? The fan will write whatever she desires to and produce a fic. I'm not doing a debate with you or anything, but it just affected me a lot, you know? And I just want to speak out my mind. So I guess this is the side of Quistis that you need to know more and thanks for your review. I really appreciated it, all of it. It really done me serious thinking, you know? Thanks so much, you're one person the world needs. You help other writers point out what was wrong with their stories and I praise you for it.  
  
To all of you who read my bio: See? I'm a lot like Eminem and Laguna:  
serious, yet talkative.  
  
To all the reviewers like "frost": Thank you, thank you! You've all been a great inspiration to me! If your reviews weren't there to cheer me up or to help me with my writing, I wouldn't have continued this fic! You should be thankful, I'm alone now in my house. It's already twelve in the morning, as in midnight, and I have all (early) morning to write some new chapters for this fic! Hope you enjoyed this one! Don't forget your reviews! Love y'all! 


	8. Ch 8

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Eight: Rules Revealed  
  
Seifer laid Quistis down on his bed. They just arrived in the Garden, and since Seifer didn't know where Quistis' room was, he decided that it would be best to let her stay at his place. He sighed heavily and looked down at his vomit-stained clothes.  
  
"These were newly washed," he mumbled quietly, as not to disturb the beauty from her sleep. He got in his bathroom and started to take his clothes off, especially the ones with the puke on them. He filled the sink with hot water and dumped his clothes in it. He was about to go outside to his room, when he remembered he was naked and that Quistis was there. He pulled on his towel and wrapped it around his waist. Then he went out.  
  
He came in front of his closet and pulled on a drawer. In this drawer were his underwear, and he took one. In the other drawer, he got an undershirt and a pair of pajamas. When he was about to move, he felt more free than he did before. That's when he noticed his towel had dropped down to his feet. He immediately pulled them up and heaved a sigh of relief.  
  
'Good thing she didn't see me,' he thought.  
  
"Nice ass," a quiet voice spoke up.  
  
Seifer whirled around, his hands clutching the towel around his waist. He stared at Quistis, who was looking at him through heavy-lidded eyes.  
  
"You saw me?" he asked her in horror.  
  
Quistis nodded once and continued to look at him. He took a deep breath and nodded slowly.  
  
"I see."  
  
"Are you going to take a bath?" Quistis asked.  
  
"Obviously," Seifer replied, glaring down at her. "After you just puked on me, why shouldn't I take a bath?"  
  
"I like your room," Quistis said, ignoring his last comment. "It's so tidy and nice. Only, your bed is so hard."  
  
Seifer rolled his eyes, while Quistis closed hers. He couldn't help smiling at her image. He shook his head and walked toward the bathroom. Just as he was about to come in, he heard a soft mumble leave Quistis' lips.  
  
"Good night, Seifer."  
  
***************************************************  
  
Quistis sat up straight in bed the next day and found herself in Seifer's room. She groaned heavily and touched her head, which was aching with pain. Whatever happened to her last night, she didn't remember. All she remembered was her saying "You look so handsome" to someone. She didn't remember who she had said it to, either.  
  
She lied back down and felt a sharp pain across her back. She gasped and cringed at it. "Ow!"  
  
'What happened to me?' she thought. 'I feel dizzy and strange.'  
  
She tried to stand up, but couldn't. She was too tired and lazy to go in the bathroom and wash herself clean. Sighing heavily, she let herself relax on the hard bed of Seifer.  
  
Suddenly, the door opened and Seifer came in. He wasn't wearing his usual outfit today. He was wearing a pair of gray long shorts, a white undershirt with sleeves and a pair of simple slippers. He was carrying a small box, which he placed on the table.  
  
"Where were you?" Quistis asked, sitting up once again and wincing at the pain in her back.  
  
"Are you okay?" Seifer asked her.  
  
She nodded. "I'm fine," she said. "Where were you? And what time is it?"  
  
"I went to the cafeteria while you were sleeping," Seifer replied. "And it's three in the afternoon."  
  
"Three in the afternoon?" Quistis said in disbelief. "But that's so late!"  
  
"I know."  
  
"I always wake up early," Quistis protested. "It can't be three in the afternoon."  
  
"Hey, no one complained that you woke up late," Seifer reassured her. "Everyone's busy with their instructors. Good thing they all went everywhere except the cafeteria. They didn't have to see me in this." He gestured his hand toward his outfit. "I got you some hotdogs, by the way." He pointed at the small box on the table. "Come on, eat up."  
  
"No, thanks," Quistis said, sighing. "I feel too sick to eat."  
  
"You were drunk last night," Seifer reminded her. "Who wouldn't feel sick after that? You were especially an amateur in drinking."  
  
"Oh, right. I remember that."  
  
Seifer sat down on his chair and looked at her. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked in an unmistakably concerned tone. "You look more tired than you should be."  
  
"Oh, it's just my back," Quistis said, straightening up her posture. "It's your bed. I didn't get enough sleep because of it."  
  
"Hmm, got to buy another foam for it," Seifer said thoughtfully. "I got an idea. Why don't you stand up and take a bath? You still smell strongly of alcohol and you got to get rid of it."  
  
Quistis made a face, but nodded. She stood up and winced once more. Before she could disappear behind the door of the bathroom, Seifer called after her.  
  
"Don't forget to come out naked!"  
  
Quistis turned around swiftly and glared at him. "Excuse me?" she said coldly.  
  
Seifer blinked and looked at her. "You heard me," he told her. "Now go and do what I say."  
  
"Who are you to order me around, Seifer Almasy?"  
  
"Your boss."  
  
"Ha! Whatever you say! I never said you were my boss and neither did I say I was your servant! God, you're so conceited!"  
  
Seifer smirked and stood up. "No, Quistis Trepe, I am your boss," he said in his usual drawling voice. "You may have not said it, but Headmaster Cid did."  
  
Quistis' face crumpled in confusion. "I don't understand you," she said unsurely.  
  
"I afraid I must have forgotten to tell you the rules," Seifer said, his smirk widening. "Instructor, in this activity, you have to follow the rules I made up. If you don't, you have to do a penalty. And as far as my knowledge goes, you've broken three rules."  
  
"What rules are you talking about?" Quistis asked in a whisper, afraid of what Seifer was going to say next. She didn't understand what he was talking about.  
  
"You humiliated me, and as rule number five had said, you shouldn't," Seifer said, counting with his fingers. "You seduced me and pushed me in the pond, which you shouldn't have since it means you broke rule number three. You puked on me, which led to the breaking of rule number one."  
  
"How come I never knew all this?" she asked, her voice shaking in anger.  
  
"Like I said, I forgot to tell you. Now as your first penalty, you have to present yourself to me naked."  
  
"I am not going to -"  
  
"Are you, or are you not going to argue with me, Instructor Trepe?" Seifer interrupted her, his face turning stern.  
  
Quistis opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. She stared at Seifer in disbelief.  
  
"I suggest you do what you are told, Instructor. That way, you wouldn't have any reason to lose your job or fail this activity."  
  
Quistis took a deep breath and turned around. She can't argue. She didn't want to fail this activity, or, as Seifer said, lose her job. She went in the bathroom and slammed the door shut.  
  
'What is he going to do to me?' she thought worriedly. 'Duh! You already know what he's going to do to you, Quistis! He's going to take advantage of you and take away your virginity!'  
  
She groaned and dropped down to the floor.  
  
"One day, he's going to pay."  
  
********************************************************  
  
Author's note: This is only short. Sorry 'bout that! I'm trying to stick to the title. You'll be surprised at what Seifer's going to do to her! Ooh, it's going to be so enjoyable for Seifer! *grins evilly* Bwahahaha!! Don't forget your reviews! And thanks to the reviewers! You're so special to me!  
  
To "frost": I like you a lot! Thanks so much! 


	9. Ch 9

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Nine: Surprise Surprise!  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"I'm not going out. I'm not going out. I'm not going out. Of course I'm not going out!" Quistis rocked back and forth in the bathtub, the water raining down on her. She had been in Seifer's bathroom for almost an hour, and had been thinking up of a way to get herself out of this mess. She thought that pretending to have a shower would be a good idea to waste some of Seifer's time. Yeah, she was in the shower, but after that, she'll change back into her clothes and . . . well, she still didn't know what to do.  
  
"This is sick!" she grumbled under her breath. "There's no way I'm going out there naked in front of that . . . jerk!"  
  
She reached for the shampoo and squirted some on her hair.  
  
"I'll fight him! Oh, shit! I don't have my whip! No matter, I'll fight him off with my bare hands!"  
  
She stood up abruptly with her eyes closed. She heard a "bog!" and before she knew it, she had slipped and was lying with her back on the floor of the tub.  
  
"Ouch again!" she almost yelled.  
  
A knock on the door made her open her eyes. The shampoo blinded her and she hurried back up to her feet, frantically holding her head up to the shower to let the water clean the shampoo off her eyes.  
  
"Quistis! Are you okay?" she heard Seifer ask from the other side of the door.  
  
"Yes, I am!" she called back.  
  
"What's taking you so long? Come out here already!"  
  
"Uh . . . I'm preparing! Don't worry, I'm coming out!"  
  
"Good!"  
  
"Asshole."  
  
Quistis stayed in the tub for another fifteen minutes. She didn't have the guts to go out and fight Seifer off, yet. After this whole thing is over, she's going to have to ask Zell to tutor her for self-defense.  
  
She groaned loudly leaned on the wall of the tub.  
  
'What am I going to do?' she asked herself silently. 'Can I fight a guy like him off? I've got to admit, Seifer is better in fighting than me.'  
  
She covered her face with her hands. She was stuck there with no idea of what to do. In a few minutes, she'll get Seifer very impatient and that'll make him more difficult to handle. If only she didn't agree to the gang about the dare . . . What had she done?  
  
Suddenly, a voice so clear and near spoke up.  
  
"Quistis, are sure you're okay?"  
  
Quistis looked up and saw an outline of a person standing behind the curtain. Her heart stopped and her eyes widened with fear. Why was Seifer standing there?  
  
"Hey, Quistis! Are you still there, or not?"  
  
Before she could stop herself, Quistis screamed loudly.  
  
"What the --?" Seifer pulled back the shower curtain.  
  
No sound came out of Quistis' mouth after that. She was staring at Seifer with a surprised look on her face.  
  
"S-Seifer?" she whispered.  
  
"What were you screaming about?" Seifer asked urgently. He looked the same as he did when he entered his room. Only, he had his palm to his eyes and the other was holding a towel out to Quistis.  
  
Quistis didn't know what to say. She expected Seifer with no clothes at all, and that the moment he drew back the curtain, he would have a wolfish grin on his face.  
  
"You sounded stupid when you screamed," Seifer went on. "I didn't know you could imitate crows." He waved the towel he was holding out to Quistis. "Here, take it."  
  
"I . . . I thought you were going to . . ." Quistis couldn't say the word.  
  
"What, do you think I'm that desperate?" Seifer said sarcastically. "I'm not that kind of guy, Quistis. Now get the stupid towel. I'm getting tired covering my eyes."  
  
Quistis slowly took the towel from him and wrapped it around her body. She stared at Seifer with both confusion and amazement.  
  
"Can I look now?" Seifer asked.  
  
"Uh . . . it's still a bit . . . revealing."  
  
Seifer snickered and dropped his hand from his eyes. He looked at Quistis straight at the face.  
  
Inside, Quistis was more surprised than she looked. Firstly, she thought Seifer was going to attack and attempt to rape her then and there. Second, Seifer appeared with respect for her. Third, when he uncovered his eyes he didn't look anywhere, but at Quistis' face.  
  
In her mind, there was only one question she was dying to know what the answer was: Was this the real Seifer?  
  
"I took your clothes to the laundry."  
  
Quistis raised an eyebrow. "And how did you do that?" she asked.  
  
"I went in earlier when you were planning on how to fight me with your bare hands."  
  
"But I thought you were outside. . . ."  
  
"Before I heard the loud noise, I was outside. Now come on out there." Seifer held out his hand to Quistis, who took it and let him lead her to his room. He pointed at his bed and said, "Lie down."  
  
Quistis gripped his hand. "I thought you weren't going to touch me?"  
  
Seifer made a face. "I just said 'lie down'. Not 'strip off the towel and let me have it'. I'm not going to touch you, so don't worry. Just lie down on your stomach."  
  
"You're sick, you know that?" Quistis said angrily. "There's no way I'm going to allow you to go into me!"  
  
Seifer pushed her to the bed. "Just lie down!" he said forcefully.  
  
Quistis gasped. She scrambled to the very side of the bed and stared at him in horror.  
  
"I'm not going to touch you!"  
  
"You're a liar."  
  
Seifer rolled his eyes. He ignored Quistis and took a small bottle out from his bed-side table drawer.  
  
Quistis watched him as he poured some of the bottle's contents into his hands and spread it all over. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.  
  
"What are you doing?" she asked him suspiciously. "You don't do that before you have sex, do you?"  
  
"No, but I do this before I do something to a person," Seifer replied. He turned to her and pulled her arm.  
  
"Hey! That hurts!"  
  
Seifer grabbed her shoulders and pushed her down on the bed. Now, she was lying face down on Seifer's bed.  
  
"Seifer, please don't do it! I beg you, Seifer!"  
  
"Oh, it just pleases me to hear your pleading voice, Instructor!" Seifer said in mock.  
  
Quistis felt the towel around her being pulled down. She bit her lip as she felt her back being bared and naked.  
  
"Seifer, please. . . ."  
  
She buried her face on Seifer's pillow and began to cry. Seifer's hands touched her shoulders caressingly, and to her opinion, he was just getting started to do what he desired to do. Then she felt weight drop down beside her.  
  
"Quistis, are you crying?"  
  
She pulled away slowly, but Seifer had his grip firm on her shoulders. She looked up at him through her tears.  
  
"I would do anything, Seifer, just please don't do this to me," she cried softly.  
  
Seifer sighed and patted her bare back with his hands. "Does it still hurt?" he asked.  
  
Quistis blinked. "Pardon?" she asked.  
  
"Your back. Does it still it hurt?" Seifer repeated for her.  
  
"But . . . why are you asking that?"  
  
Seifer sighed. "Quistis, Quistis! Your back is the reason for all this. Didn't you say it hurts just a while ago? Well, if it doesn't anymore, then I won't continue this," he explained. "Just so you'll have your body censored," he added.  
  
Quistis began to sit up, but Seifer stopped her.  
  
"Don't tempt me, Quistis," he said, pushing her back to the bed.  
  
"What did you mean, Seifer?"  
  
"Just tell me if you want to continue, or not?"  
  
"What is it first?"  
  
"Yes, or no?"  
  
"I don't think - oh, fine! Yes, so I'll know what you're talking about."  
  
"Okay, then. All I need now is for you to relax and don't do anything stupid. Rest your head on your hands now."  
  
Quistis did as she was told. Pretty soon, she felt Seifer moving on the bed and finally, on top of her.  
  
"I knew it!" she shrieked. "Get off me!"  
  
"There's no turning back, Quistis!" Seifer said in a sing-song voice.  
  
Quistis tried to pull herself up, but couldn't under Seifer's waist. But because of her wriggling, she didn't feel Seifer's weight transfer to her buttocks.  
  
"Seifer, I can't breathe! Get off me, you freak!"  
  
"Hey, I'm sitting on your ass! Not on your back! Now just relax and follow my hands!"  
  
Quistis gripped the pillow and once again buried her face on it. She didn't know what to do now. She can't fight Seifer off. But something made her stop herself from crying. She looked aside to glance at Seifer and found a smile on his face. Just as he had said, she relaxed a little and loosened her clutch on the pillow. She lied there for a few minutes. She smiled and enjoyed the pleasure Seifer was now giving her.  
  
That's when she realized Seifer was true to his words. He didn't do anything to her. All he did was massage her back.  
  
***************************************************  
  
Author's note: I'm so sorry for being one day and a half day late to upload this chapter! It's the start of school and well, I didn't have the time to write this. Actually, I did have the time. Only, my mom didn't want me to use the computer. I was a little addicted to it . . . Hehe! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and please don't forget your reviews! Thanks again for them, I really appreciate it. 


	10. Ch 10

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Ten: Sharing Hobbies  
  
"So you like to massage backs?" Quistis asked Seifer, taking a sip from her cup of coffee.  
  
Seifer nodded. He and Quistis were still in his room, having coffee and hanging out. He had just finished massaging Quistis' back and was surprised to hear Quistis get up with the towel around her body and say "Thank you". He had tossed a pair of jogging pants and a sweat shirt to Quistis for her to wear. The only thing he'll have to worry about was people asking Quistis where she got the baggy outfit.  
  
He sighed heavily.  
  
"I can't believe you like to do massaging," Quistis said. "I mean, it's so not you."  
  
"Yeah, that's what Fujin and Raijin said when I first massaged Fujin's back," Seifer said. "You two have one thing in common. You scream when you think a guy's going to force it with you."  
  
"She screamed just like me?"  
  
"Yeah, but you're much louder. I can't believe you hurt your back again in the bathtub."  
  
Quistis shrugged sheepishly. "It's your soap that made me fall," she reasoned.  
  
"Now I know you could be loud," Seifer said, sniggering. "You should party more often. Guys will like you a lot."  
  
"Oh, that reminds me! I think I remember meeting a guy last night," Quistis said thoughtfully. "Do you know him?"  
  
Seifer looked at her glumly. How can she remember that stupid guy that got her drunk and can't even remember her sweet whisper to him, Seifer? Quistis' words were still fresh in his mind ever since. He can't help feeling Quistis had this thing for him.  
  
He shook his head. "No, I don't. Didn't you ask his name?" he said.  
  
"Hmm, I think it was . . . Rick or Henry," Quistis said. "I don't remember it at all."  
  
"How can you think of two names that are completely far from each other?" Seifer said.  
  
Quistis rolled her eyes.  
  
Seifer shifted in his seat. Should he ask Quistis about the "you're so handsome", or not? If he won't ask her, maybe he'll regret not doing so.  
  
"So . . . you remember someone else last night?" he asked almost casually.  
  
Quistis looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked.  
  
"You don't remember anyone else?"  
  
"Well, there's this one guy. . . ." Quistis said, sighing. "I don't recall his face, but I think I know him."  
  
"And?" Seifer asked almost eagerly. He was now leaning at the edge of his seat toward Quistis.  
  
Quistis bit her lip. "I don't know, I just looked at him and said something and that's it," she said. "I think I like him, though."  
  
"And you don't know him at all?"  
  
"I think I do."  
  
"You just don't remember him?"  
  
"Mm-hmm."  
  
"Oh." Seifer was disappointed. He had hoped she would remember. The small crush he had for Quistis grew in only a small amount of time. From the moment Quistis had looked at him last night with those sleepy yet sincere eyes, to now, where he was talking to her. His crush grew to care. And he hoped Quistis' dislike for him would turn into like.  
  
"So what else are your hobbies?" Quistis asked.  
  
"Why do you want to know?" Seifer said, forcing some sarcasm into him. He didn't feel like talking a lot and he was feeling down because Quistis had forgotten about him last night.  
  
"I was just asking!" Quistis pointed out. "Come on, tell me what your other hobbies are and I'll tell you mine."  
  
"As if listening to your hobbies would be interesting as mine," Seifer said quite harshly.  
  
"Listen, do you want to pass this activity?" Quistis asked.  
  
"Of course, I do."  
  
"Then cooperate! Now tell me your hobbies!"  
  
"Fine. I like to do a lot of things."  
  
Quistis threw her hands up in the air dramatically. "Can't you be more specific?"  
  
Seifer sighed. "Fishing," he said simply.  
  
Quistis blinked. "That's it?"  
  
"What else can I do?"  
  
"I don't know! Reading, sleeping, eating, hiking. . . . Any of them!"  
  
"Well . . . I guess I like to go picnic all the time," Seifer said. "But I can't do it most of the time since no one will go with me. Same with fishing."  
  
"That's the kind of thing I was looking for!" Quistis said, smiling. "What else?"  
  
"What else? Hmm, fighting different kinds of monsters, I guess."  
  
"Besides that, what other things do you want to do all the time?"  
  
"I can't think of anything right now, so could we proceed to yours?"  
  
Quistis nodded. "Agreed. I kind of like to cook, read books --" Seifer grunted "-- also fight different kinds of monsters and . . . I guess that's it."  
  
"That's it?" Seifer asked, imitating Quistis earlier. "What else do you do?"  
  
"I kind of like to fish, too."  
  
"So we have something in common, huh?"  
  
"At least I'm not an idiot like you."  
  
"You're lucky you're a girl. If not, I would have hit you when you humiliated me in front of my friends. Speaking of which, you have two penalties left to do for me!"  
  
Quistis groaned. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to!"  
  
"Oh, no, you have no way out of this," Seifer said, grinning evilly. "There's no way I'm letting you off the hook!"  
  
"I don't care, anymore. After finding out that massaging my back was a penalty, I think the other penalties wouldn't be so bad," Quistis retorted.  
  
"That's where you're wrong," Seifer said. "I'm also a thinker, you know? First penalty, my enjoyment. I enjoy massaging backs. After all, it's my specialty. Second penalty, suffering. You'll be needing dignity in this penalty. Third, well, I still haven't thought of it, really."  
  
"There's no way you're going to make me suffer, Seifer," Quistis said.  
  
"See? Suffer and my name kind of sounds alike! And yes way!"  
  
"Fine, then! I know more about suffering than you, Seifer!"  
  
"Whatever!"  
  
"Oh, do you want to go fishing tomorrow?" Quistis asked unexpectedly.  
  
Seifer raised an eyebrow. "What was that?" he said. "I don't think I heard you correctly."  
  
"Do you want to go fishing tomorrow?" Quistis said again, this time more slowly and clearly, as if Seifer was a five-year old boy.  
  
Seifer made a face. "I was just surprised you asked me on a date," he said.  
  
"A date? I'm only accompanying you since you never got the chance to do it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Quistis stood up suddenly. "Hey, can I use your bathroom? I need to go," she said.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Seifer said, nodding. He watched as Quistis hurried to his bathroom and disappeared through the door. He looked out the window to the people walking around the Garden.  
  
He was sure Quistis lied when she said she also liked fishing. Probably because he said he can't get to do what he wanted to do since no one would go with him.  
  
Sometimes people are different from what they look. Quistis was more thoughtful and caring than he thought. He knew she cared for him. And it made him smile, both inside and outside.  
  
***********************************************  
  
(Author: Just read their conversation, even though it's a bit boring.)  
  
Quistis sat down on the small pier beside Seifer the next day. She crumpled her face at the sight of the can of worms Seifer held out to her.  
  
"Want some?" Seifer asked.  
  
"Later," she replied.  
  
She didn't really like fishing. She only said she did so she had a reason to go fishing with Seifer, or at least to keep him company. He had said that no one wanted to go with him, so she thought that it would be a nice way to know him better and at the same time she could prevent making him feel lonely.  
  
"When are you going to start fishing?" Seifer asked, glancing at the fishing rod that was left untouched next to Quistis.  
  
"Later," she said again.  
  
Seifer made a face. "When is this 'later'?" he said.  
  
Quistis hid a smile. Recently, she grew to love it when Seifer became annoyed at what she did or said.  
  
She casually shrugged and said, "Later means later, Seifer."  
  
Seifer rolled his eyes and continued to stare at the end of his fishing rod.  
  
"Oh, I brought some fried pork chops," Quistis suddenly said. "Would you like some, Seifer?"  
  
Seifer shook his head. "I'll have some after I catch a couple of fish," he mumbled without looking at her.  
  
Quistis smiled. She was amused at how Seifer was concentrating so much on his fishing rod. He was like a little kid who was eagerly waiting to catch something, even just a very small one.  
  
Quistis yawned heavily. "Aren't you bored?" she asked Seifer.  
  
Seifer shook his head. "Not until I catch something," he said.  
  
"So when were you born, Seifer?" Quistis asked.  
  
"Still at December."  
  
"December . . .?"  
  
"December twenty two."  
  
"Oh! So when are you going to eat?"  
  
"Later."  
  
"When are you going to catch some fish?"  
  
"Later."  
  
"When are you going home to the Garden with me?"  
  
"Later."  
  
"When are you going to help me with my fishing rod?"  
  
"Later."  
  
"When are you going to get married?"  
  
"Later."  
  
"Really? Who are you going to get married to?"  
  
"You, maybe."  
  
"Wow, you haven't even proposed to me."  
  
"It's a waste o' time."  
  
"I demand you propose to me."  
  
"Fine. Quistis, marry me."  
  
"Definitely not!"  
  
"Oh, darn."  
  
"Could you please not have the answers to the questions?"  
  
"Definitely not."  
  
"Oh, darn!"  
  
"It is."  
  
"Arrgh!"  
  
"I see you're having fun."  
  
"I'm bored."  
  
"Glad you are."  
  
"Shut up, already."  
  
"Precisely."  
  
***************************************************  
  
"So I'll meet you tomorrow?" Quistis asked, turning around and facing Seifer. They were standing outside Quistis' dormitory room and were about to bid each other goodbye for the day. They had just come back from the sea side and both were exhausted from the walk they had coming back to the Garden.  
  
Seifer looked at her. "Where?" he asked.  
  
Quistis smiled. "I was thinking of fighting some monsters," she said.  
  
"Oh," Seifer said, nodding. "It'd be great."  
  
"Great. Then see you tomorrow!" Quistis said. She turned around again and went in her room.  
  
Seifer watched the door close with a soft click and walked away. He sighed heavily. It had been a long day. But there was only one thing that made it memorable: When he said he would marry Quistis.  
  
In truth, he meant it. Only, it turned out to be a joke.  
  
He stopped in front of his door and looked down at the floor. It just struck him, what would happen if he told her he loves her?  
  
*******************************************************  
  
Author's note: This chapter sucks, I know. But I kind of liked the very last sentence. Hehe, hope you liked it more than I did. I'll upload the next chapter tomorrow, so please wait patiently. Keep the reviews coming, please! 


	11. Ch 11

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Eleven: Fight and Rain  
  
Note: Hi! Sorry for being a bit late. School's making me busy. I had to walk home after dismissal! Can you believe that? *Sigh* Actually, I'm not really in the mood to write, but since all of you insist on reading more. . . . If you think it's a bit lousy, sorry. But please understand.  
  
*************************************************  
  
Quistis plopped down on the ground and sighed in relief. She watched as Seifer struck the bee-like creature one last time with his Hyperion and smile satisfyingly to himself. They had been outside the Garden for almost the whole day. Quistis was surprised that she was completely exhausted from fighting different creatures the lurked around the fields. Usually, she could go on and on in battle and never get tired.  
  
She wiped a bead of sweat trickling down her forehead with the back of her hand.  
  
"That was a lot of work!" she said, panting heavily.  
  
Seifer sat down beside her and nodded in agreement. "I never had these many battles in only one day," he said.  
  
"Never?" Quistis asked. She raised her eyebrows at Seifer.  
  
"Well, in a long time," Seifer said, shrugging. "I'm starved, aren't you?"  
  
Quistis nodded. Then her face fell. "I forgot to pack some snacks for us," she said glumly.  
  
"What?" Seifer asked in disbelief. "How can you forget?"  
  
"I just forgot!"  
  
"I can't believe you! Weren't you aware that we would have a hard day?" Seifer reminded her a bit harshly. "Just a simple thing to remember and you forgot!"  
  
Quistis' jaw dropped down. "Don't you dare talk to me like that, Seifer! Remember, you're still my student!" she shot back.  
  
"No, you're the one who shouldn't shout!" Seifer retorted. "If you continue, I might give you another penalty. So if I were you, I'd watch my mouth!"  
  
Quistis glared at him angrily.  
  
Seifer glared back.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Quistis snapped.  
  
"What are YOU looking at?" Seifer said in return.  
  
Quistis shook her head in disbelief. "Now you're acting all childlike by imitating me, huh?" she said sarcastically.  
  
"Excuse me, but I'm not acting like a child."  
  
"Oh, yes, you are!"  
  
"No, I'm not!"  
  
"Yes, you are!"  
  
"No, I'm not!"  
  
"You are! You are! You are! You are!"  
  
"I'm not! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not!"  
  
"Could you please stop?"  
  
"You're the one who started it! You stop it!"  
  
"Oh, god! How can you say I'm the one who started it? To remind you, you were the one who complained and I just jumped in defense -"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"You shut up!"  
  
"No, you shut up! You're the one blabbering about some stupid . . . thing!"  
  
"It's not stupid, stupid! It's the cause of our fight right now!"  
  
"Don't call me stupid, loser! At least I don't stay all day in my classroom and wait for my students to come listen to my boring lecture!"  
  
"They may be boring, but you can learn something from them!"  
  
"Yeah, as if the students are taking in what you say to them! They're practically imagining you standing in front of the class naked!"  
  
"Oh, really? Are you saying you're one of them?"  
  
"Yuck! Why would I imagine that? Am I the only one you can think of that's your student? Gee, I must be your favorite!"  
  
"That's way yuckier! What teacher would want you to be their favorite? Definitely not me!"  
  
"Oh, that's like music to my ears! I'm so happy I'm not your favorite!"  
  
"Whatever!"  
  
"Whatever!"  
  
Quistis and Seifer both turned away from each other and folded their arms across their chests. They fumed madly and kept on muttering curses to each other. This went on for almost five minutes.  
  
Suddenly, a loud rumble broke out into the sky, making both look up with alarmed expressions on their faces.  
  
"Looks like it's going to rain," Seifer said quietly.  
  
Quistis nodded in agreement. "What are we going to do?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know," Seifer said. "Head back to the Garden?"  
  
"But we're like miles away," Quistis said, looking at him. "Can we possibly reach it in time?"  
  
Seifer looked around for a cave or a big tree or something to shade them from the rain that's about to fall. But there was none. He slumped down and didn't say anything.  
  
"Are we just going to stay here?" Quistis asked him. "What if we catch a cold?"  
  
Seifer just shrugged.  
  
Quistis sighed and shook her head disapprovingly. "You're useless, as usual," she said.  
  
"What did you call me?"  
  
Another loud bang of thunder interrupted the fight that was about to break between Quistis and Seifer, followed by a shower of raindrops.  
  
They sighed heavily.  
  
Quistis glanced at Seifer, who was bowing his head low to avoid the drops of rain into his face. She looked away and down on the ground.  
  
The image of Seifer went in her mind. She thought he looked cute, crouching under the rain with his head bowed low.  
  
'Cute?' she thought incredulously to herself. 'What am I thinking? This stupid jerk, the one who's sitting beside her, was cute? Never!'  
  
She glanced at Seifer again and couldn't help smiling a bit. She had to admit, he did look cute.  
  
She shivered as a gust of cool wind passed them, and she hugged her knees to her chest.  
  
What were they doing under the rain? They could have at least hurried back to the Garden, ever though there was small time left.  
  
She stared at the ground for a few moments. That's when she noticed the rain had lessened a little. She looked up and found herself under a long, white coat.  
  
"Can't let you stay under that rain," a husky voice said near her ear.  
  
She looked at Seifer and found him sitting close to her and holding his overcoat above them. She stared at Seifer in surprise.  
  
"It's the least I can do," Seifer said, shrugging. "I'm not very good at apologizing."  
  
Quistis looked down.  
  
"Are you okay?" Seifer asked.  
  
Quistis nodded.  
  
"Good."  
  
Quistis could feel the warmth of Seifer's body beside her. She felt comfortable around him and wanted him to come closer to warm her more. She hugged her knees tightly and rested her head on them.  
  
She was being weird. How can she think of getting Seifer move closer to her? She knew he would be disgusted. And why wasn't she disgusted, herself? Was it because she grew to like Seifer more?  
  
Yesterday, when she asked him on who he was planning to marry, she didn't feel surprised to hear it was her. She felt, for some reason, that it seemed right for him to say he could marry her. After all, Seifer liked her. And she can't deny that she liked him a bit, too.  
  
She sighed quietly and felt Seifer move closer to her.  
  
'Finally,' she thought, smiling a bit.  
  
A whisper spoke in her ear.  
  
"Quisty?"  
  
Quistis turned her head in surprise and was about to ask Seifer why he called her by her old nickname, but came only an inch away from his face.  
  
************************************************  
  
Note: So do you guys like it? The fight's a bit corny, but . . . well, I hope you liked it! Please don't forget your reviews! 


	12. Ch 12

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Note: Again, sorry for being late. Thanks for agreeing with me about school. Can you believe, second day of school and I already have, like, three assignments! THREE assignments! Arrgh! Good thing, I got drama. Thanks for all your reviews, by the way. I really appreciate them! Please keep 'em coming!  
  
Chapter Twelve: The Kiss  
  
*****************************************************  
  
Seifer stared deep into Quistis' light blue eyes, which stared back with the same surprised but passionate glint. Their faces were only an inch apart, their noses touching each other.  
  
For a moment, not one of them moved. They just sat frozen in their spot, unable to say what they wanted to say.  
  
The soft drops of rain kept echoing through the vast field, where they sat under the white overcoat Seifer held up to protect them and keep them warm.  
  
Yes, warm. Inside, both wanted to find each other's warmness and love, desired to hold each other so longingly and passionately.  
  
Finally, Quistis' lips parted and a small whisper came out.  
  
"Seifer."  
  
Seifer wasn't aware. It just came so swiftly, it took over his body. As if a streak of lightning had just hit him. It happened so fast, he didn't know what he had done.  
  
Probably Quistis had happened to feel the same way. 'Cause she responded to Seifer's quick move.  
  
It was a very beautiful feeling. Their hearts beat loudly against their chests, their eyes closing firmly and their lips longing for more of a kiss.  
  
As cool as the wind may be, Seifer felt himself starting to sweat. He could feel Quistis' hands run across his hair and rest on his neck. He had forgotten all about his overcoat, for he had dropped it onto them.  
  
They kept on kissing, not sparing time to even breathe. They didn't want this special moment to be spoiled. They wanted more, more from each other.  
  
And Seifer pushed himself against Quistis, and both lied down on the ground. He didn't feel Quistis' hands leave him, and so did her lips.  
  
His tongue forced its way into her mouth and massaged her own.  
  
Quistis pulled him closer to have more of what he could give, but parted obligingly with his lead.  
  
He looked down at Quistis with shock in his eyes.  
  
Quistis looked back, confused and obviously, wanted everything he had.  
  
This stayed constant. The two didn't move, just as they had done before they performed the kiss.  
  
The drops of rain lessened completely and the sky began to lighten. Rays of yellow sunlight tried to seep through the overcoat, but wasn't at all successful.  
  
Seifer finally made a move, which was to take off the overcoat that covered them. He sat straight and stared at the ground, trying to reflect his actions earlier.  
  
Quistis hoisted herself up in also a sitting position and faced Seifer with much passion. She reached over and touched Seifer's hand.  
  
"Seifer."  
  
Seifer looked at her with a guilty expression on his face.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely. "I didn't mean to . . . kiss you."  
  
Quistis blinked in surprise. It took her time to let in what he just said and finally, she smiled warmly.  
  
"You don't have to apologize," she said quietly.  
  
"Quistis, that kiss wasn't supposed to happen," Seifer pointed out. "I'm a student and you're an instructor. I'm a brat, you're not. And . . . I love you, but you don't."  
  
Quistis looked down at the ground.  
  
Seifer bit his lip.  
  
He knew it. He knew Quistis never did love him. Of course, why would she? He felt silly for ever kissing her. She knew he just made a complete fool of himself.  
  
But he was wrong.  
  
"I loved it," Quistis whispered.  
  
He raised his eyebrows at her. "Uh. . . ."  
  
Quistis smiled. "I loved it that you kissed me," she rephrased.  
  
Seifer couldn't believe his ears. He gave Quistis a sign of confusion.  
  
"But I don't understand, Quistis."  
  
Quistis sighed dramatically. She shook her head, while laughing silently, then leaned over and kissed Seifer quickly but gently on the lips. She drew back and watched Seifer's sudden change of expression.  
  
He had a kind of dreamy look on his face.  
  
"Now do you understand?" Quistis asked, tilting her head to one side and giving Seifer a questioning look.  
  
Seifer gave her a little smile and nodded. "But . . . Quistis, you know it's against the rules," he said.  
  
"You're the one making rules, right?"  
  
"Oh, yeah."  
  
"Did you like it?"  
  
"The what?"  
  
"The kiss."  
  
"Are you kidding? Of course, I did! You were great! I enjoyed --"  
  
Quistis glanced at Seifer, and he stopped. She giggled at his sudden shyness.  
  
Seifer smiled. Then his face crumpled into seriousness.  
  
"Quistis," he said silently, "how did you?"  
  
Quistis looked at him and said, "You made me, Seifer."  
  
*******************************************************  
  
Note: Do you get the "Quistis, how did you?" thing? If not, the question meant, "How did you fall in love with me?" or something kind of like that. So, did you guys like it? Hope you did! Sorry again for being late! Don't forget your reviews please! 


	13. Ch 13

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Thirteen: A Big Mistake  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"Please sit down, Instructor Trepe."  
  
The headmaster pointed at the chair in front of his desk, where Quistis sat obediently and waited to hear what he had to say.  
  
Quistis didn't know what she was doing there, again. Xu had just disturbed her and Seifer in the cafeteria and told her that the headmaster needed to see her. She had whispered a 'see you later' to Seifer in his ear. Xu didn't expect it. She had stared at them suspiciously and stopped when Quistis dragged her away.  
  
The headmaster smiled warmly at her and nodded. "Yes, that's good," he mumbled, and then went to sit in his own chair behind his desk. He folded his hands together and peered at Quistis through his spectacles.  
  
"I assume you and Mr. Seifer Almasy are having a good time together?"  
  
Quistis blinked in surprise. She had a sudden crimson blush spread across her cheeks.  
  
"Yes, we are, Sir."  
  
"Very good," Headmaster Cid said, smiling more widely.  
  
Quistis cleared her throat. "Why do you ask, Sir, if you don't mind me knowing," she said importantly.  
  
"Yes," the headmaster said in agreement. "It's wonderful news, actually, to both you and Mr. Almasy."  
  
Quistis leaned forward and listened carefully.  
  
"On Sunday night, I'm going to end the activity we're doing now. At the same time, I'm going to hold a program. There'll be lots of shows, group numbers and songs to sing. I was planning that in the ending part of the program, someone could say something about their experiences in the activity. And I think that you and Mr. Almasy would do great together on the stage. Do you think it'll work out?"  
  
Quistis' eyes widened. She smiled and stood up. "Yes, Sir! It is an honor," she said happily. "I'm sure Seifer will be glad to do it. Thank you very much, Sir."  
  
The headmaster nodded vigorously. "Please be prepared, Instructor," he said. "A nice speech might interest the audience."  
  
"I think it's a great idea, Sir," Quistis said. "I'll be going now. Have a good day!"  
  
Then she turned on her heel and walked away. Just as she was about to go out, the headmaster called her. She turned around again at the headmaster.  
  
"It's nice to know he turned out to be different from what you expected, isn't it, Instructor?"  
  
Quistis looked down at the floor and thought about Seifer. She smiled and looked back up again and nodded.  
  
"It is, Sir."  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Seifer looked up from his cup of hot chocolate and found Quistis sitting down on the seat he reserved for her with a beaming smile on her face. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her curiously.  
  
"What happened?" he asked her.  
  
Quistis just smiled in reply.  
  
Seifer rolled his eyes and leaned over. "Okay, so he gave you some good news," he said. "What I want to know is what news are they?"  
  
Quistis beamed at him once more. "Guess what?" she said excitedly. "The headmaster picked the two of us out to share our experiences in the program which will be held on Sunday! Can you believe it? It's going to be great!"  
  
Seifer sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "I guess that's all, huh?" he said glumly.  
  
"Okay, so it's not that exciting, but, Seifer, it's the two of us," Quistis said, reaching out and touching Seifer's hand. "We have to share our experiences."  
  
"Which will lead to end our relationship right now," Seifer said, looking at her in disbelief.  
  
Quistis' forehead creased in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked.  
  
Seifer looked at her seriously. "Quistis, you're an instructor, remember?" he said. "I can't be with you because I'm a student. Instructors and students aren't allowed to be together. If you tell them about us, we're over. And I don't want that to ever happen."  
  
Quistis' face softened. She smiled at Seifer appreciatively. "Gee, I didn't know you could be so sweet," she told him.  
  
Seifer shrugged.  
  
"But I already agreed to him," Quistis said, scratching her neck in regret. "Uh, don't worry. I'm going to fix everything out. I'll just have to tell him that one of us got sick or something and wouldn't be able to go to the program."  
  
Seifer nodded in agreement. "That'd be fine," he said.  
  
"Great."  
  
"Oh, yeah! I just remembered something," Seifer said, standing up. "I have to go to my dormitory. I have to get something there."  
  
"Where are we going to meet?" Quistis asked.  
  
Seifer smiled. "I'll just go to your room later," he replied. Then he turned around and walked away.  
  
Quistis sighed and watched after him. She smiled dreamily and stood up. She started walking along the halls toward the dormitories.  
  
How she and Seifer had gotten together, she didn't know. After that kiss, they just went back to the Garden as a couple, not as an instructor and a student.  
  
Of course, they couldn't fight what they were feeling for each other. They believed that being together was right. And when love conquers all, nothing can go in between them.  
  
Well, at least they hoped.  
  
The fact that Quistis was an instructor and Seifer was a student was definitely an obstacle in their way. They had to be careful of their actions, as not to show any signs of their intimate relationship. If one would know about what they were up to, then they really are over.  
  
Quistis found her dormitory room and went in. Before closing the door, she opened the lights and was completely surprised to see all her friends gathered up in her room.  
  
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked them curiously.  
  
Irvine stood up from her bed and walked toward her. He had a kind of seriousness in his expression. He closed the door and went back to his place.  
  
Quistis walked forward and looked at them in confusion. "Guys, what you doing here?" she asked again.  
  
"Quisty, we think you're hiding something from us!" Selphie blurted out from behind Zell, who was standing by the bathroom door.  
  
"Selphie, let's explain everything first to her," Rinoa said. She was sitting on Quistis' chair and had a calm, but dark look on her face.  
  
"Explain what to me, Rinoa?" Quistis said, folding her arms across her chest. "Have you been hiding something from me?"  
  
"No, it's the other way around," Zell spoke up. "You're the one hiding something from us."  
  
"Yes, Quistis, and we don't think it's kind of fair to us," Rinoa said, giving Zell a stern look. She turned to Quistis and forced a smile. "We think you've been hanging out with Seifer too much and never get to spend time with us, anymore."  
  
"Oh!" Quistis looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize. . . ."  
  
"It's because you're in love with the idiot!" Zell said angrily. "You turn your back on us, fall in love with him and never tell us? What's that in a friend, Quistis?"  
  
Quistis blinked in surprise. She looked at Zell in disbelief. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" she said in her defense.  
  
"Tell us if Seifer and you are sharing a relationship, Quistis," Irvine said.  
  
Quistis opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say. If they told them, they might report her to the headmaster for having a relationship with a student. She decided better of it. She wasn't going to say anything.  
  
"He's a stupid jerk, how can you have him as a boyfriend?" Selphie called out. She had now come out from behind Zell and was standing beside him.  
  
Quistis looked at her angrily. "I don't think you have the authority to call him that, Selphie," she snapped.  
  
Selphie fell silent. All of them fell silent. They looked at Quistis in horror.  
  
"So you are making out with him," Zell said in a whispered and horrified voice. "It's true you're making out with him."  
  
Quistis shook her head. "No, I'm not!" she protested.  
  
She can't let them know about her and Seifer.  
  
"Then tell us!" Rinoa said.  
  
Quistis bit her lip. She didn't know what to do. She shook her head as a bugging voice kept mumbling something in her head. She fumbled with her hands unconsciously, showing out signs that she was uncomfortable to have her friends beat something out of her.  
  
But she took her position, took a deep breath and said, "You guys are right. He's nothing but a stupid jerk." She turned to Zell and smiled at him. "I'm not making out with him, Zell. And Selphie," she shrugged apologetically at Selphie, "so sorry to talk back."  
  
Irvine, Selphie and Zell smiled, but Rinoa and Squall, who was standing by the very far corner and haven't said anything since Quistis' arrival, looked unsatisfied.  
  
Quistis sighed and plopped down on her bed. "Don't worry, guys," she assured them. "I would never date that stupid asshole! He's --"  
  
Squall finally made a noise. He cleared his throat loudly, interrupting Quistis' sentence.  
  
Quistis looked at him questioningly.  
  
Squall shook his head.  
  
"Anyway, he's such a big loser! The night where we went to a bar, I puked on him! I had too much to drink! Oh, it was so much fun!"  
  
Irvine, Selphie and Zell laughed, while Rinoa smiled weakly. Squall had an urgent look on his face.  
  
"He had to let me stay in his room and he complained about how bad I smelled because of the beer!"  
  
Squall was now standing up straight. He coughed loudly and once again shook his head at Quistis.  
  
Quistis raised an eyebrow.  
  
Squall narrowed one eye and shook his head, yet again.  
  
"I don't understand what you're --"  
  
Loud footsteps resounded from outside and cut Quistis off. She sighed and went out to check, but saw no one. She returned back in and sat down again on her bed.  
  
"Too late," Squall said to her. "You've got yourself in a situation. Better apologize."  
  
Quistis blinked. "What are you talking about?" she asked.  
  
"It's getting late, isn't it?" Rinoa said, checking her watch. "Guys, why don't we go now and let Quistis rest?"  
  
"But, Rinoa, it's only . . . Oh, gosh! It's already five! I have to meet Danny!" Selphie jumped up and ran out of the room.  
  
Irvine sighed and stood up. "She's getting obsessed in hanging out with that guy," he said sadly. "I might lose her to him. . . ." He bowed his head low and went out of the room.  
  
Zell didn't seem to mind if he was late about something or he was depressed that he needed some time alone. He just stood there and smiled broadly.  
  
Rinoa and Squall looked at each other, and Squall tilted his head toward Zell. Rinoa sighed and nodded.  
  
"Zell, I heard there are some newly cooked hotdogs in the cafeteria!" Rinoa said, standing up and pulling Zell toward the door. "Let's go before there's no more left!"  
  
"Hotdogs? Alright!" Zell pulled Rinoa out of the door and both hurried away.  
  
Quistis watched as Squall crossed her room and closed the door, which Rinoa and Zell had left open. He turned around and shook his head disapprovingly at Quistis.  
  
"What did you mean?" Quistis asked him again.  
  
Squall sighed. "Remember the loud noise outside your door earlier?" he said.  
  
Quistis nodded.  
  
"Those belonged to Seifer."  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Author's Note: I really hoped you liked this! I didn't enjoy writing it very much. Only the end part was a bit good. But don't worry, the next chapter is more interesting than this one. But I still hoped you liked this. Please don't forget your reviews and thanks for the old ones! 


	14. Ch 14

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Chapter Fourteen: From Spies To Friends With Advice  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Squall looked down at Quistis, who was covering her face which had suddenly gone pale, with the least sympathy in his eyes. He shook his head disapprovingly and leaned on her desk with his arms folded across his chest.  
  
Quistis looked up at him, looking sick. "How did you know it was him?" she asked.  
  
"I saw his head through the glass window," Squall answered.  
  
Quistis took a deep breath.  
  
Squall rolled his eyes. Honestly, he didn't care of what happens between the two. He didn't even know why he warned Quistis that Seifer was listening to their conversation. Something just pulled him to do it.  
  
"I can't believe he heard me," Quistis whispered faintly. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying.  
  
Squall almost smirked, but thought of it better. He continued to look at her blankly.  
  
"I think you should know what's been happening," Quistis said, standing up. "But, please, don't tell anyone. It's very important between Seifer and me."  
  
Squall let his head hang. He knew very well what Quistis had been hiding from them. And he wasn't the only one who knew it. Rinoa also knew everything about Quistis and Seifer.  
  
Squall thought this would be the perfect time to tell Quistis.  
  
"You've been hiding a secret from us," he said. It wasn't a question. "We already know that."  
  
Quistis raised her eyebrows.  
  
Squall sighed heavily. "You weren't the only one hiding something," he said. "We have a secret we didn't share with you, too."  
  
"Who's 'we'?" Quistis asked.  
  
"Rinoa and I have been following you and Seifer around the whole time," Squall said lazily.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I thought you were an instructor? How come you don't understand what I just said?"  
  
"Because it's confusing and I'm totally lost. Now tell me what you meant!"  
  
"Fine! You don't have to sound so urgent." Squall rolled his eyes for the second time and sighed. "The headmaster was aware that something might happen between you and Seifer. So he decided that two close friends could follow them around and observe the two of you."  
  
Quistis stared at him with shocked eyes. She shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"You were spying on us?"  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"Yes, we did," Rinoa said weakly as Seifer glared at her through deadly eyes.  
  
She was in the secret area with Seifer, and was definitely in trouble after telling him all about Squall and her spying on Quistis and him. She had to tell him soon. If not, he may get angrier if they told him later.  
  
But Seifer didn't have the right to get mad at her. The headmaster had assigned them to find out what's been happening between Seifer and Quistis. Was it her fault?  
  
Rinoa lifted up her chin and straightened her posture. "I feel a lot of tension brewing between us, Seifer," she said importantly. "I'm just doing my job. You have no authority to grit your teeth in anger in front of me. It goes the same with Squall."  
  
"But you just deprived us of our own privacy!" Seifer pointed out sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, come on!" she said, leaning on the railing where she stood. "At this time, privacy's out."  
  
She knew this wasn't true. But just to persuade Seifer not to hate Quistis, and not get mad at her, she would say anything.  
  
Seifer glared at her again, and then looked out into the jungle like training center.  
  
Rinoa started to climb the railing, and sat there, swinging sideways from time to time. She glanced at Seifer, and became still.  
  
Was it her or was Seifer trying to stop himself from crying?  
  
She blinked a few times, rubbed her eyes and peered at Seifer. His eyes sure were glistening, but she didn't know if they were tears or not. She bit her lip and looked away.  
  
Now what had she done? All she said was something about privacy. Was it enough to make Seifer cry? She hoped not.  
  
She looked at him and patted his back. "I'm sorry, Seifer," she said quietly.  
  
Seifer sighed heavily without looking at her.  
  
"Do you think she'll talk to me again?"  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"Well, after what you just said about him. . . . Oh, let me rephrase that. After you insulted him, do you think he'll talk to you again?" Squall definitely put a whole emphasis on the word 'insulted'. He almost groaned tiredly when Quistis gasped silently.  
  
Quistis buried her face in her hands. "I can't believe I said that!" she cried. "How come you didn't tell me, Squall?"  
  
Squall blinked. "That's what I did," he reminded her.  
  
"Well, you could have told me," Quistis pointed out. "You could have made a more understanding gesture."  
  
"Like what, wave my hands in the air like a monkey?" Squall said sarcastically. "No way. It's Zell's job to do that."  
  
"Zell was by my bathroom!" Quistis said. "He can't possibly know Seifer was there!"  
  
"So you're blaming me? Oh, what a way of saying thank you from warning you that Seifer was there!"  
  
Quistis sighed. "I'm sorry, okay?" she said. "But can you please help me with my problem? It's like the end of the world!"  
  
"Losing Seifer is like the end of the world?" Squall said thoughtfully. "I wonder what that feels. . . . Must be like crap."  
  
"Don't talk about him like that!"  
  
Squall's face almost crumpled in disgust. He looked at Quistis as if she was weird.  
  
"You really are in love, aren't you?"  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"Alright, alright! I am! Now, are you happy?" Seifer said sarcastically to Rinoa, who stopped shaking his arm to make him say he was in love with Quistis.  
  
At first, he didn't want to admit it, just as she had done to her friends. But he can't deny he was in love with her.  
  
Rinoa smiled in satisfaction. "I knew it! Seifer's in love with the instructor!" she squealed in delight.  
  
Seifer pretended to look cheery, and then rolled his eyes.  
  
Rinoa made a face, but continued to smile happily.  
  
"It's okay to say you're in love, Seify!" she said.  
  
"Don't call me that," Seifer said in a disgusted tone. "It sounds like a girl's."  
  
"But it's cute!"  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"Say you're in love again!"  
  
". . . . . . . . . . ."  
  
"Come on!"  
  
". . . . . . . . . . ."  
  
"Just one more!"  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"I love him so much, Squall."  
  
Squall looked at Quistis, who was beginning to cry. He sighed heavily and sat down on the bed beside her. He started to pat her shoulder comfortingly.  
  
"After all this, I know we'll never talk to each other again," Quistis said as she hugged herself. "I never meant to say all of them. I just wanted to protect our relationship. I didn't want anything to come in our way. I want to kill myself. . . ."  
  
"'If only I did this. . .' 'If only I did that. . .'" Squall said, shaking his head and sighing. "That's not the way you should think, Quistis. That is very negative."  
  
"But it's true! If only --"  
  
"Were you listening to me?" Squall said in irritation. "Like I said, it's not the way you should think. If you love him, then you fight for him."  
  
Quistis looked at him with wide teary eyes. She was obviously surprised to hear these words come out of Squall's mouth.  
  
"I kind of did the same for Rinoa," Squall said silently.  
  
Quistis looked down at the floor.  
  
Squall stood up and patted her shoulder once more, then walked toward the door. Before walking out, however, he turned around and said, "You do what I told you to do. Then you'll be happy."  
  
*************************************************************  
  
"Hey, Seifer?"  
  
Seifer turned to Rinoa and was about to snap at her for being so talkative, but was caught off guard when he saw Rinoa smiling peacefully and looking faraway into the sky.  
  
He turned back down and grunted to say he was listening.  
  
"Do you remember the time when we first met?" Rinoa asked breathlessly. "When you introduced me to the headmaster. . . . I thought I was in love with you back then."  
  
"Yeah, I remember," Seifer said quietly.  
  
Rinoa breathed loudly and stretched out her arms. "It's so good to be in love with the person you love!" she yelled out.  
  
Seifer looked at her, embarrassed. "Uh. . . I don't know you, okay?" he said.  
  
Rinoa giggled and relaxed.  
  
Seifer rolled his eyes for almost the fiftieth time.  
  
"It's true," Rinoa whispered. "It feels good to be in love with the person you love."  
  
Seifer nodded thoughtfully in agreement. Yeah, it felt good to be with Quistis. He had loads of fun doing stuff with her. He was in love. No, he IS in love. But he wasn't sure if Quistis felt the same way as he did.  
  
He rested his head on his hand and stared down darkly.  
  
"I thought I was in love with you," Rinoa said again. "But I realized I was in love with Squall."  
  
Seifer raised an eyebrow toward her.  
  
"But in your case, Seifer," Rinoa said, jumping down to stand beside him, "you really are in love."  
  
Seifer opened his mouth to protest that Quistis never loved him, but Rinoa held up a hand to silence him.  
  
"This time, it's not a mistake. It's true."  
  
And Rinoa walked away, leaving Seifer to understand completely what she just said.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Author's note: It's corny!!!!! Very!!!!! I'm not really that good in final fantasy romance. . . . You should see me in Slam Dunk though. . . . But I hope you guys liked it! I did my best! Please don't forget your reviews!!! 


	15. Ch 15

Title: Knowing You More  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Note: What's this? Seifer's going to cry?!?! *GASP!*  
  
Chapter Fifteen: You Did  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Saturday passed with Quistis and Seifer not talking to each other. Both didn't have the courage to stop each other in the corridors to talk or to look each other in the eye.  
  
Squall and Rinoa tried to encourage the two to talk, but both refused to. Squall tried to talk to Quistis and persuade her to be the one to open the conversation since she was the one with the fault, but failed to because Quistis wouldn't.  
  
They were helpless. Squall couldn't stop himself from being impatient and gave up after the twentieth time he talked to Quistis. Rinoa couldn't do anything but to keep him relaxed.  
  
Since Quistis and Seifer didn't continue to work in the activity, Squall and Rinoa were forced to accompany Quistis for the whole day. They didn't do anything but to listen to Quistis sniff from time to time or to complain about her problem.  
  
Yeah, they were tired of it. And they were happy to have the day end. They bid goodbye to Quistis when they dropped her off to her dormitory room and told her to get some sleep. Then they went on their way to their room.  
  
Before sleeping, Rinoa cuddled to Squall and whispered, "Tomorrow's going to be another day."  
  
Squall nodded in agreement in the dark. "We'll be hearing the same thing from her all over again," he said.  
  
Rinoa mumbled a 'good night' and fell asleep. Squall replied with a sound and fell asleep as well.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Quistis knew she had been troubling Squall and Rinoa for the whole day yesterday and didn't want to do it to them again. What she did was enough and thought she'd better stop mourning for Seifer and finally talk to him.  
  
But another thing was scratching the back of Quistis' mind. The ending program of the activity was tonight.  
  
Quistis had stayed up late last night to work on her speech. She liked it a bit, since it was all about her and Seifer. She crawled on her bed at two in the morning, but didn't fall asleep immediately since Seifer's angry face came into her head and she cried all over again. She finally went to sleep at three and woke up the next day, which was today, at twelve noon.  
  
She stood up from her bed and went in the bathroom to take a bath. When she was done, she got out already dressed.  
  
She sighed heavily and walked toward her desk. A very small pile of papers were present there, and she took it and went out of her room.  
  
She had two things to do: Tell the headmaster that she was the only to talk in front of the whole Garden and find Seifer to talk to him about them.  
  
She knew it would be difficult in Seifer's case, but she had no other choice. She didn't want to go on thinking about Seifer and crying herself to sleep every night.  
  
She walked out into the hall and toward the elevator. But before she got in the elevator car, a shrill voice called out her name.  
  
"Quisty!"  
  
She turned around and saw Selphie hurrying toward her with Irvine and Zell walking slowly behind her.  
  
Selphie stopped in front of her and gave her an apologizing look.  
  
"Quisty, Squall and Rinoa told us all about you and Seifer," she said to Quistis. "We're so sorry for not understanding."  
  
"Yeah, me, too. I'm sorry for insulting him in front of you," Zell said, stopping and smiling sheepishly at Quistis. "And for coming up with the idea of playing jokes on him."  
  
"Okay, all I did was to cheer on in the idea that shorty got here," Irvine said. "Do I have to say I'm sorry, too?"  
  
Quistis smiled as Selphie nudged Irvine with her elbow.  
  
"You have to, Irvine!" Selphie said.  
  
Irvine sighed and winked at Quistis. "I think you know what that means," he said.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "Sorry, Irvine, but I don't know what it means," she said.  
  
"Fine, I'm sorry," Irvine said, hanging his head.  
  
Quistis laughed.  
  
"But you could have told us, you know," Selphie said, looking down at her shoes. "I mean, if you told us not to tell anyone, we would have done what you wanted."  
  
Quistis nodded. "Yes, I know, and I'm sorry about that," she said. "You guys are my friends and I trust you for everything. It's just that . . . he's suddenly so important to me, you know?"  
  
Selphie and Irvine nodded understandingly, but Zell made a face.  
  
"The jerk's important to you?" he said in disgust.  
  
Quistis glared at him sternly.  
  
"Oh, uh. . . sorry."  
  
"It's okay."  
  
"So, we'll just see you around, Quisty!" Selphie said, giving Quistis a hug.  
  
Irvine and Zell waved at her, and walked away with Selphie locking their arms into hers.  
  
Quistis smiled and watched them march away out into the Garden. She shook her head and checked her watch.  
  
It read three-thirty in the afternoon. She was surprised at how the time passed by quickly. She must have stayed long in the shower.  
  
She got in the elevator and pushed the button that lead up to the headmaster's office. When she was already half-way, the elevator stopped and the doors swung open. She looked out and found Squall outside.  
  
Squall nodded at her in greeting and went in.  
  
Quistis stood aside to make some room for him.  
  
"So did you talk to him?" Squall asked when the doors closed together and the elevator started running again.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "I will," she said. "But not before I talk to the headmaster about tonight's event."  
  
"You're acting like an instructor again," Squall observed.  
  
"I am an instructor."  
  
"With a student for a boyfriend."  
  
"Keep your mouth shut."  
  
The elevator doors swung open and the hall leading toward the headmaster's office became visible. The two walked out and went in the office.  
  
Quistis was surprised to see who the headmaster was talking to.  
  
Headmaster Cid and Seifer looked up at them; Cid's face lifted in a smile and Seifer's dropped to a frown.  
  
Quistis stopped in her tracks, but Squall pulled her to the front. She looked down at her feet to avoid Seifer's gaze.  
  
What was she going to do? She can't possibly talk to the headmaster in front of Seifer. To her surprise, Squall spoke up relieving her problem of talking to the headmaster with Seifer listening.  
  
"Sir, may I ask to speak with you first?" he said importantly. "It's pretty urgent."  
  
Quistis glanced at Seifer, whose frown was deepening. She put a very tiny smile on her lips, but it stopped halfway when Squall said, "And I hope Instructor Trepe and Seifer Almasy would step out for a while so we can talk privately. The hall would be a good place to wait."  
  
Quistis would rather talk to the headmaster with Seifer listening than to wait with him in the hall alone. She shot Squall a glare, and then nodded at the headmaster. She walked out briskly to the hall with Seifer trailing behind her. She could feel he was slowing down as much as possible. She sat down on a small couch and watched as Seifer sat down on the other one opposite her.  
  
Now what was she going to do?  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Squall watched as the door closed. He sighed heavily and sat down on the seat in front of the headmaster's desk.  
  
"What was so urgent that you had to tell me, Mr. Leonheart?" the headmaster asked in worry.  
  
Squall shook his head. "It's nothing, really, Sir," he said. "It's just that, these two have had a fight and I think talking to each other would be best. If we could only give them, let's say, two hours or something. . . ."  
  
"They had a fight?" the headmaster asked.  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
"Oh, dear. I knew it would happen."  
  
Squall nodded. "Well, they've gotten pretty close as friends and well, I think friends shouldn't stay as enemies, right?" he said.  
  
The headmaster looked at him suspiciously. "I never expected to hear this from you, Squall. Did something happen to you?"  
  
Squall felt a sweat drop roll down at the back of his head. Exactly what did he say to make the headmaster think he's different?  
  
'Hmm,' Squall thought to himself. 'Probably Rinoa.'  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Quistis glanced up at Seifer, who was walking back and forth across the hall. He had been doing that for almost the thousandth time.  
  
Who could blame him? He was getting impatient.  
  
Quistis, herself, couldn't wait any longer. Two hours had passed and yet, Squall never got out of the headmaster's office. What was so urgent they had to talk about that would take for like a lifetime?  
  
Honestly, she could wait for Squall to come out of the headmaster's office for even a whole day. But the fact that Seifer was waiting there with her was the reason why it feels so long.  
  
She checked her watch again for almost the hundredth time and saw that it was already half past five. She sighed heavily and was about to stand up to leave when the door to the headmaster's office opened and Squall came out.  
  
Seifer threw up his hands in disbelief. "Well, well, well! He came out at last!" he said. He walked past Squall and went in the office without asking Quistis if she would go first.  
  
Squall gave Quistis a can-you-believe-this-guy look.  
  
Quistis shook her head and followed Seifer. As she passed Squall, she heard a mumble came out of his mouth.  
  
"I'll wait for you."  
  
Quistis went in and found Seifer and the headmaster waiting for her.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Almasy was just talking about you, Instructor Trepe," Cid said, nodding at her thoughtfully. "Please sit down."  
  
Quistis sat down on the chair beside Seifer.  
  
"I have heard from Mr. Almasy that . . . you both had trouble in the activity."  
  
Seifer looked down as Quistis glanced at him. She took a deep breath and nodded.  
  
"Yes, we had, Sir."  
  
The headmaster looked disappointed. He gave Quistis and Seifer a stern look, and then sighed.  
  
"It's not my business if you fought," he said. "But I am hoping that you will straighten things out."  
  
Quistis and Seifer nodded in agreement.  
  
"And Instructor Trepe, Seifer had to skip the program for tonight," the headmaster continued. "He suddenly felt ill and had to sleep tonight to get well."  
  
Quistis blinked in surprise and looked at Seifer. He should have told her first. She shook her head in ache. Seifer couldn't bear her anymore if she would conclude. It hurts her heart to know that, but it wasn't fair. Seifer could have talked to her.  
  
She took a deep breath. "I was about to talk to you about that, Sir," she said. "But since Mr. Almasy here already told you, I should be going now."  
  
She stood up and bowed down. Then she started to walk toward the door. She heard Seifer say his wishes to the program for tonight and a goodbye, then his footsteps following her. They got outside and met Squall, who was a bit surprised to see them come out so soon.  
  
Seifer walked ahead of Quistis and Squall after the elevator ride. He walked briskly, so as not to let them catch up.  
  
Squall leaned close to Quistis and whispered, "Did you talk to him when you two were alone in the hall?"  
  
Quistis shook her head. "Of course, I didn't," she whispered back. "I couldn't."  
  
Squall sighed. He looked Quistis in the eye, then pushed her hard toward Seifer. Before Quistis knew it, he had gone and she had hit Seifer's back.  
  
Seifer stumbled forward and glared at them, but realized Quistis was alone. He looked at her nervously.  
  
"What do you need?" he asked.  
  
Quistis looked down at the floor, but mustered up enough courage. She turned her head up to Seifer. "We have to talk, Seifer."  
  
Seifer didn't need to look around the hall to make sure there were people there. Everyone was obviously in an assembly hall, getting ready for the program.  
  
He just stared at Quistis, apparently waiting for her to start.  
  
"I'm so sorry for what I did, Seifer," she said quietly.  
  
Seifer had a thoughtful, yet sarcastic look on his face. "Which one, Quistis?" he asked. "The other two pranks you played on me or the one that you denied our relationship?"  
  
Quistis was taken aback. She looked at Seifer in disbelief.  
  
"Why is your mind still on those pranks?" she asked.  
  
"Because you still haven't paid for them."  
  
"You allowed me not to accept the penalties!"  
  
"Exactly! I allowed you to!"  
  
Quistis sighed. "Look, this isn't about the activity, okay?" she said. "This is about us!"  
  
"You're right!" Seifer said indignantly. "This isn't about the activity! It's about us! You told your friends that we're not together!"  
  
"I was trying to protect our relationship!"  
  
"You told me you didn't love me to friends who you trust! You insulted me! You hurt me!"  
  
"I . . . I didn't want them to . . . think . . . that . . ."  
  
"That you would date a stupid jerk like me?"  
  
Quistis looked up at Seifer with tears brimming in her eyes. She saw Seifer bite his lip, probably to stop himself from crying, too.  
  
"That's not what I wanted to say, Seifer."  
  
"But you thought of it."  
  
"Seifer, please understand me."  
  
"I tried, Quistis, but I couldn't. It was too hard to."  
  
Tears splashed down on Quistis' cheeks. She moved forward and grasped Seifer's hand. She looked up deep into his eyes.  
  
"Seifer, please, I beg you."  
  
Seifer looked down. He took a shaky breath and looked at Quistis. "It was nice knowing you more, Quistis. And I know I won't regret saying that . . . you were the best thing that happened in my life."  
  
Quistis smiled at this. She stepped forward, but Seifer stopped her.  
  
"Please, Quistis, don't. I can't let you go near me 'cause it hurts me too much."  
  
"But, Seifer --"  
  
"I . . . have something for you. . . ." Seifer said slowly. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out a silver necklace with a heart-shaped locket. In the middle of the heart was a blue diamond.  
  
Quistis gaped at it.  
  
Seifer placed it around her neck and locked it carefully. "Happy birthday," he whispered.  
  
"I . . . forgot. . . ."  
  
"I know," Seifer replied. "You were too busy telling people that we broke up. I guess it's back to books, Instructor."  
  
"Seifer. . . ."  
  
"Gotta go, Instructor. Busy studying."  
  
"Wait, Seifer."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"And . . ."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"I love you," Quistis whispered.  
  
Slowly, a tear rolled down Seifer's cheek. Hurt suddenly spread out into his eyes. He looked at Quistis, as if he was willing to wrap her in his arms, but knew that it was too hard for him to.  
  
He took his hand from Quistis and shook his head.  
  
"You did," he whispered silently, and then walked away, leaving Quistis crying in the middle of the hall.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Author's note: Hi! Sorry again for being late! My mom's getting mad at me because I'm still writing this. I need to hurry up! So please don't forget your reviews, okay? And I hope you liked this! Two more chapters are to follow and the story is over! 


	16. Ch 16

**Knowing You More**  
  
_Disclaimer: I don't own FFVIII.  
  
Author's Note: If you don't like this chapter, it's okay. But I'm just so bored, and I had to write this and...well, I'm bored. I'm not in the mood to write. This is the best I could do. I'm not going to put another note at the end, because if it's the end, I want you all to read it all over again. Not the note... LOL. It's just a short chapter. So I guess I made a mistake in the two chapters that's going to finish this story. It's only one. Please review! At last, I finished it!_  
  
Chapter Sixteen

* * *

Quistis stood behind the podium, her eyes surveying the students, the SeeDs, instructors and the Garden staff, who were looking back up at her with interested expressions on their faces.  
  
She looked down at the papers that contained her speech. She couldn't see the words she had written clearly last night. She felt like she couldn't do what she was supposed to do there. She was disturbed. Her mind was crowded. But the only way to soothe her was to tell everyone what she wants them to know.  
  
"Good evening," she said on the microphone.  
  
The audience replied in enthusiasm.  
  
She smiled weakly at them, and then took a deep breath.  
  
"As you can see, I'm here to talk about the activity we're doing right now," she said. "It will end after this. I'm not only here to talk about it, but I will share what I had experienced."  
  
Everyone leaned on the edge of their seats.  
  
"The activity was all about instructors getting to know their students," Quistis explained. "For the past week, that's what we did. You've all been partnered with your instructor and with your student. As most of you already know, my student was Seifer."  
  
Just saying his name made Quistis' heart crumple in pain. She couldn't bear this anymore. She wanted him back so bad, she could die.  
  
She bit her lip and once again, took another deep breath.  
  
"I already knew him," she said in a shaky voice. "At least, that's what I thought."  
  
She didn't mind the tears that were now filling in her eyes. She tried to stop them, but they continued to fill up.  
  
The people in the front row were leaning toward her to get a better look at her or to see she was really going to cry.  
  
'Seifer and I had lots of fun. We did fishing, partying in a club and even fought off some mosters!' Quistis read the sentences she wrote. She gripped the edges of the paper.  
  
This wasn't right. This wasn't what she wanted to tell everyone. This wasn't the part where she was so proud of.  
  
Slowly, she took the papers and ripped it into two.  
  
The audience looked at her with surprised and curious eyes.  
  
She stood up tall and faced them with her head lifted high.  
  
"Isn't it weird to have an instructor and a student, especially a girl and a guy, put together? I mean, what's the point of this activity?"  
  
Everyone turned to look at the headmaster, including Quistis. He blinked and stared back at them.  
  
"So we could know more about our students," Quistis continued. "What did we know about our students? We knew more about their hobbies, their likes and dislikes, their true personality and many more. If some of you didn't get to know this about your student, then you did the wrong thing. This is the activity. It's what I'm talking about.  
  
"But why don't we please proceed to _my_ experience here. I hated the whole thing. I didn't want to be paired up by that idiot, Seifer. As a matter of fact, I wanted Squall to be my partner. But he was a SeeD. I can't exchange Seifer to another instructor. He or she wouldn't want him, anyway."  
  
The whole audience laughed at this.  
  
Quistis shook her head. "But I was wrong to ever think he was like that," she said silently.  
  
The laughs died down and all the people looked at her in confusion.  
  
"It's weird how things work out, like what happened to me in this activity. I thought I wasn't going to like it at all. I didn't like Seifer. I despised him, actually. But as an instructor, I had to do what I was assigned to do.  
  
"So I got to know Seifer more. I realized he was more of a good person than I thought he was. He liked to do things I never dreamed he would do. He was . . . the only person who made me feel as if I had everything in the world."

She watched as the audience started whispering to themselves and looking at each other. Some of them are confused, but some of them knew what she was going to say. She smiled to herself. She didn't know why she had to do the speech. She felt like it was right. She wanted everyone to know how special Seifer was to her.

"I love Seifer."

The noise grew. Everyone stared at her with wide eyes.

"I don't care what you all think, okay? I don't care if you'll say we're not a good couple, if you'll say we're not for each other, I don't care! But I'm going to fight for my love! I'm not Juliet, but I'm feeling what she felt. And my love for Seifer is far greater than any of you may ever know."  
  
Quistis took one last look at the audience and ran out of the stage. She was going to find Seifer, and she had to hurry. She didn't want the headmaster to order some Garden staff to go and fetch her for her resignation. She knew she had no chance of ever going to teach again.  
  
She ran out of the hall and hurried to the training center. She knew where Seifer was. She ran across the center and toward the Secret Area. Once she arrived, she saw no one there.  
  
The wind was cold. The place was deserted. Quistis stood in the middle, clutching her heart tightly. If Seifer wasn't there, where would he be?  
  
"Right beside you," a warm voice whispered in her ear.  
  
Quistis turned around and there he was. A smile was spread across his lips and his eyes were turned in a sweet gaze at her. She looked up at him, relief sweeping over her.  
  
She found him.

He sighed and looked down, the smile on his face not fading. "So, did you have to insult me first before saying you love me?" he asked. "Everyone enjoyed it when you said I was an idiot.  
  
Quistis looked sheepish. "Seifer, I'm so sorry," she said quietly. "I didn't know what I was saying. _I'm_ the idiot, not you. I hurt you so much. All I cared about was myself. I was selfish."  
  
Seifer laughed and shook his head. "Quistis," he said gently, turning to her and taking her hand in his. "I'm glad you said it. I'm glad you told everyone."  
  
A smile formed across Quistis' lips. She suddenly felt shy around Seifer. She looked down at the ground and bit her lip. Suddenly, the thought she was just thinking a few moments ago hit her again. She looked back up at Seifer.

"Seifer, we're in trouble."  
  
"No, we're not."

"Yes, Seifer," Quistis said. "They're going to fire me, and they might kick you out of the Garden. This was your last chance to become SeeD, and I failed you as an intructor."

"Yeah, but we're not in trouble," Seifer said confidently. He smirked at her. "They still haven't found us."  
  
Quistis looked at him, confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked.  
  
Seifer gave her a mischievous smile. "An escape wouldn't be so bad, eh?" he said.  
  
"An escape.... But they'll still find us!"  
  
Seifer opened his mouth to disagree, but a voice cut him off.  
  
"Yes, we will, Instructor Trepe," the headmaster walked up to them and separated them from each other.  
  
Quistis' eyes widened.  
  
"And we won't allow you to escape."  
  
Seifer looked down at the floor.  
  
"And let me just say this once, Instructor Trepe and Mr. Almasy, so please pay attention."  
  
Quistis and Seifer looked up at him. Both were surprised to see him smiling.  
  
"I'm happy for you."  
  
Quistis' jaw dropped, Seifer blushed deeply. They were astonished to hear this. They didn't expect it at all.  
  
Suddenly, loud cheering came from behind the headmaster. They all turned around and saw Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, Zell and Selphie hurrying toward them. They were all smiling and clapping their hands; Irvine and Zell were dancing around.  
  
"A wedding would sound great!" Zell cheered.  
  
"I'll arrange the wedding if you like!" Selphie shrieked in excitement.  
  
Rinoa laughed loudly. "I can't believe you guys are going to get married!" she said.  
  
"No, we're not," Quistis and Seifer said at the same time.  
  
Instantly, all the cheering and noise stopped. They all looked at Quistis and Seifer with disappointed faces.  
  
Quistis smiled and turned to Seifer. "But not after a special kiss," she said mischievously.  
  
Seifer smiled. He pulled Quistis close to him and kissed her passionately.  
  
The headmaster and Quistis' gang slowly backed away. They knew leaving the two alone would be best, and they did. As they parted, Quistis looked up at Seifer.  
  
The moon was glistening down at them, happy to see they were together again. The wind suddenly became warm and everything went back to place.  
  
"You know, a wedding would be great," Seifer said.  
  
Quistis snorted. "Yeah, whatever," she said.  
  
"I'm serious."  
  
"Really? Me, too. Only, I'm serious about the part where I said 'whatever.'"  
  
"Oh, please! I can't believe I love you."  
  
"It's easy to believe."  
  
"Oh, really? How?"  
  
"Just...believe."  
  
And Quistis pulled Seifer into another kiss.


	17. The End

_I'll Be_

_By Edwin McCain_

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful stop me and steal my breath

Emeralds from mountains thrust towards the sky, never revealing their depth

Tell me that we belong together

Dress it up with the trappings of love

I'll be captivated

I'll hang from your lips

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be love suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life

Rain falls angry on the tin roof as we lie awake in my bed

You're my survival, you're my living proof

My love is alive and not dead

Tell me that we belong together

Dress it up with the trappings of love

I'll be captivated

I'll hang from your lips

Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above

I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be love suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life

I've dropped, burned up, fought my way back from the dead

I've tuned in, turned on, remembered the things that you said

I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be love suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your –

I'll be your crying shoulder

I'll be love suicide

I'll be better when I'm older

I'll be the greatest fan of your life


End file.
